Erin’s Story

Erin Mortimer, daughter of former rugby league player Steve Mortimer, has recently opened up on the struggles her and her family has had to endure through Steve’s ongoing battle with dementia. During his playing career, Steve received many head knocks, a natural consequence of the game, which has caused him to suffer from this condition at only age 69. First supported by his wife Karen, Steve now requires full time care to what Erin describes as “someone who is here, but not really here”. To help her cope with the grief and sadness of her father’s situation, Erin turned to songwriting. Her song, ‘Lullaby for the Old Man’, portrays the difficulty in her situation but tailored in a wholesome and child friendly manner, reminiscent of the times Steve would sing lullabies to her.