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Five years ago, Gold Coast sisters Jamie-Lee and Samantha Dwyer changed Charlie Dixon’s life in more ways than one.As a 17-year-old teenager from tropical North Queensland, Dixon’s only focus was playing AFL football.
The first player ever to sign a contract with the then newly formed Gold Coast Football Club, the Cairns product had huge expectations on his shoulders, with the football world ready to anoint him as the next best forward in the game.
To help Dixon stay grounded and adjust to life in the tourist hotspot, father Gordon sought out family friends Mike and Many Dwyer, who happily opened their home to the footballer.
“We’d known Charlie for years, his family had been in the tourism game for a while and it’d been five years ago since Gordon, Charlie’s Dad, gave us a call and said the club needs to billet Charlie out,” Mike told goldcoastfc.com.au.
“He was seventeen at the time, first kid to sign on, and in the end we were happy too.”
“The family were aware that our two girls were in wheel chairs, so that was pretty exciting to have this kid who we hadn’t seen since he was 11 years old, turns up 6’9 ft around the same age as our young ladies.
“So it was real interesting to have an elite athlete come into our environment.”
Although not as prominent as breast cancer awareness and prostate cancer, Friedreich Ataxia (FA) syndrome affects more than 300 Australians.
At the time, Dixon knew nothing about the condition, but has since gone on to become a passionate advocate for the Friedreich Ataxia Research Association (FARA).
This week he, alongside the Gold Coast SUNS in-house Digital production team, launched “Charlie’s Charity Shave”, calling on Gold Coasters and national fans to dig deep into their pockets as the hulking forward looks shave off his Ned Kelly locks in a bid to raise much-needed funds and awareness for FARA.
Looking back, Dixon couldn’t be happier to have spent his first eighteen months on the Gold Coast with his “second family”, who he says has given him the greatest perspective on life and football.
Although he draws strength from the sister’s courageous fight against FA, he has also looks at Mike and Mandy with tremendous admiration.
“It is unreal how they have gone about it,” Dixon said of the girl’s parents.
“I’ve had a couple of good chats with Mike and how he puts it into perspective really helps me with my footy.
“While footy is a big part of my life it is not forever, so having Mike and Mandy and a home away from home has really helped me along the way.”
Support for “Charlie’s Charity Shave” has already created a frenzy on social media, with many joining in on the digital conversation through the hashtag #nomorebeard.
“The support of the community in the last 48 hours has been fantastic." He said
“I just want to say thank-you, and I hope people can keep donations coming through as we look to spread the world and keep raising money for the girls and charity.”
