Gold Coast’s Croatian community is this week mourning the sudden passing of Lucy Markovic. She was one of Australia’s rising stars on the international fashion scene and a prominent member of its local community.
Top Australian Croatian model Lucy Marković passed away last Wednesday at the tender age of 27. She had spent several years battling a serious brain condition.
Following her appearance on Australian television show Next Top Model – she was a runner up in season nine of the reality series. The young Australian Croat went on to walk the catwalk for some of the biggest brands in the fashion industry.
According to numerous mainstream media reports, Lucy Marković died after undergoing multiple surgeries to treat a condition known as brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Abnormal blood vessels can lead to bleeding and damage tissue in the brain.
Community pays tribute to one of its own
Damien Brešić, former president of the Gold Coast Knights (Croatia) Football Club, speaks fondly of the young lady. He admired Lucy Marković as a well-respected member of the Gold Coast Croatian community.
“As a community, we are devastated with the news of Lucy passing and our hearts go out to the Marković family,” a devastated Brešić told the Croatian Herald.
“Lucy was a wonderful person who always had a smile on her face and a nice thing to say. She was very proud of her Croatian heritage and will be sorely missed,” added Brešić.
Born on the Gold Coast in 1998, Marković played soccer for four years for the Gold Coast Knights. She was a member of the club’s first junior all-girls’ team. She also danced for the local Croatian folkloric group ‘Velebit’ for five years.
Along with their oldest child Jelena, who was six years old at the time, the Markovićs arrived in Australia in 1994 as refugees from Banja Luka. They originally settled in Geelong before moving to the Gold Coast after 12 months.
Their second child, Lucy, was born in the Gold Coast Hospital in 1998 and their youngest, Volicija, followed afterwards.
Fond memories of a proud community member
Brešić, who is a member of the Croatian Soccer Association of Australia board, recalls a fond memory of a young Lucy Marković during her early playing days with the Knights.
“All our girls had never played soccer before, so they played exclusively for the friendship and the fun. And, of course, for winning trophies. But there were more sleepovers than wins!” he recalled.
“Before one game, Lucy’s dad said to her if she scored a goal he would give her $1000! She ended up scoring three that game and after the game came up to her dad and asked for $300.
“Yes, three hundred – not a thousand! Lucky she didn’t know the difference between 1000’s and 100!” laughed Brešić.
“Lucy is now resting in peace, but our community will put their arms around Ivica and Slađana and the girls. We want to make sure they get through this as best as they can,” he added.
The Gold Coast Croatian Sports Centre also paid tribute to Marković in a social media post this week.
“With extremely heavy hearts we share the passing of Lucy Marković. She was a former Knights player, a Velebit dancer and a member of our community.
“After her appearance on Australia’s Next Top Model she went on to walk the catwalk for some of the biggest brands in the fashion industry like Lucy Marković did.
“Our most heartfelt condolences to her parents Slađana and Ivica, her sisters, her partner, and her extended family and friends,” the post concluded with the Croatian translation of the phrase ‘Rest in Peace’, Počivala u miru Božijem.
