Queensland Origin star AJ Brimson has revealed the final moments before a promising NRL player fell to his death dead in a Spanish nightclub.
Liam Hampson, 24, was found dead in Barcelona’s Sala Apolo nightclub on October 19 after falling 14m from a wall in an out-of-bounds area.
His untimely death came before Hampson could fulfil his lifelong dream to play professional rugby league for the Dolphins.
He will be mourned at a funeral service at Moreton Daily Stadium on the Redcliffe Peninsula, Queensland, on Monday.
Brimson joined the hundreds of heartbroken family and friends paying tribute to the promising star, describing him as a ‘brother’ and one of his ‘best mates’.
He recalled the final moments he shared with Hampson after joining the 24-year-old on his whirlwind European holiday and partying with him on the night he died.
Queensland Origin star AJ Brimson (left) has paid tribute to promising NRL player Liam Hampson (right) and shared his final moments before he was found dead in a Spanish nightclub
Liam Hampson, 24, was found dead in Barcelona’s Sala Apolo nightclub on October 19 after falling more than 10 metres from a wall in an out-of-bounds area
‘He was a legend, the funniest dude ever,’ Brimson told Courier Mail.
‘There’s been so many times already where I’ve gone to message him… that’s been the most heartbreaking thing.
‘We can never do those things together or share them anymore. He was determined with his footy but also a happy guy.’
Brimson first met Hampson on the Gold Coast in 2012 before they became closer friends at rugby league nursery Keebra Park High School.
The pair briefly parted ways as Brimson remained in Queensland to pursue a career with the Titans while Hampson went to New Zealand to play for the Warriors.
Hampson returned six months later unable to settle down overseas and rented a house with Brimson and Titans player Phil Sami in 2017.
He never gave up on his dreams as he pursued a place on the reserve grade club Tweed Heads before moving to Redcliffe and starring as hooker for the Dolphins.
His prowess on the field impressed super coach Wayne Bennett with Brimson admitting he believed Hampson would have played for the team in pre-season.
‘Wayne Bennett told him after a couple of games that he’d had a good game, which was promising,’ he said.
Brimson recalled the final moments he shared with Hampson after joining the 24-year-old on his whirlwind European holiday and partying with him on the night he died
The friends went to the Sala Apolo concert venue and nightclub before the group split up and Brimson went back to his accommodation and slept
Brimson and his brothers joined Hampson on a holiday to Europe that would end up becoming a nightmare from hell.
Brimson and his brothers first partied in Ibiza before meeting Hampson at Germany for Oktoberfest and travelling around Amsterdam, Switzerland, and France.
The group arrived in Spain and Hampson was going to part ways to continue travelling solo before he had one last night out with his mates.
The friends went to the Sala Apolo concert venue and nightclub before the group split up and Brimson went back to his accommodation and slept.
He woke up the next morning and noticed Hampson was missing but assumed he had shacked up with a woman and only became concerned when he hadn’t heard from his friend by the afternoon.
Brimson went to the police and returned to the nightclub as he searched for Hampson.
Earlier this week, the High Court of Calatolonia authorised the release of Hampson’s body to Australia so his family could bring him back home after Spanish authorities finalised their autopsy process
Hampson had dreams of playing professional rugby league before he died at a Spanish nightclub
CCTV footage from the club showed Hampson became separated from his friends during the night out then locked out on a terrace after going through two emergency exits that only opened one way.
He then plunged 14m to his death onto an internal patio while trying to jump a neighbouring wall.
Earlier this week, the High Court of Calatolonia authorised the release of Hampson’s body to Australia so his family could bring him back home after Spanish authorities finalised their autopsy process.
A funeral invitation posted online by his mother and father asked attendees to dress the way his son would, in ‘s**t shirts and birks’, as part of a service that will be a ‘celebration of life’.
‘As Liam will have wanted we ask that those attending come dressed in, as Liam would say, ‘S**t Shirts and Birks’ or casual comfy clothes,’ the invitation read.
‘We thank everyone for their support and for those who have reached out as we honour Liam’s memory as a community, as a team and as a family.
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