Modra moved out of ICU as family shares recovery

AFL legend Tony Modra has been moved out of intensive care after surgery on his jaw, cheekbone and eye socket following a catastrophic truck crash near Adelaide. His wife Erica says their daughter Hayley, 18, and son Luke, 14, helped him through hospital as Ad

By the time the hospital moved Tony Modra out of intensive care, the AFL community had already turned his fight for life into a shared moment.

Erica Modra has now opened up about what helped her husband get through the hardest hours after his truck accident nearly killed him. She says their daughter Hayley. 18. and 14-year-old son Luke kept stories coming as their father recovered from surgery at Adelaide’s Flinders Medical Centre. sharing details about the Adelaide Crows fans who showed up for him while he was in hospital.

“They tried to tell him all about how Adelaide Crows fans paid tribute to him over the weekend,” Erica Modra said, describing the impact those messages had on his mood.

Modra was left with severe injuries to his face after a tree branch smashed through the windscreen of his cattle truck in a freak accident more than one hour south of Adelaide. The crash happened on Thursday night near his sheep and cattle farm in Waitpinga on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula.

As he recovered, Erica Modra said the outpouring of support across the footy world became a lift in what she called a challenging period for their family. She said their loved ones and wider community kept sending messages of support, giving the 165-game veteran “a huge boost.”

The timing of the tribute mattered. As the Adelaide Crows beat the Melbourne Demons at Adelaide Oval on Saturday. fans marked the moment with a round of applause at the six-minute mark. The gesture was tied to Modra wearing the No. 6 guernsey with the team. Some supporters held up signs reading “Godra,” referencing the career he built with the Crows and later the Fremantle Dockers.

Erica Modra said her husband was “overcome with emotion and gratitude” when his children told him what had happened.

“He was overcome with emotion and gratitude,” she said. “There has been an overwhelming show of love from our friends, extended family, the AFL community across the country, and broader public.”

The sequence of recovery, tributes, and family support is now being watched closely by those around the club. Crows assistant Murray Davis said the club remained in constant contact with the Modra family. describing the six-minute moment as something even the football staff were only fully piecing together in the coaches’ box.

“It was a pretty special moment on that six-minute mark,” Davis said. “We weren’t quite aware of it in the coaches’ box, and we sort of thought, what’s all that about?”

Modra’s medical update has also brought a crucial measure of relief. His former teammate and good friend Mark Ricciuto said Modra had not suffered any brain damage from the crash.

“He remembered everything that happened, if you can believe that,” Ricciuto said. “So no concussion, no brain injury, which is a huge positive… so great news he’s got no brain issues, [but it’s] a little bit tough emotionally to get through reliving what happened.”

Ricciuto called it “a miracle” that Modra is alive and said the progress he has made is significant—but also stressed how emotionally difficult it can be to relive the crash.

While the move out of intensive care signals he is stable enough to leave that critical stage, the recovery is still far from finished. Erica Modra said Modra has had two bouts of surgery since the accident, with the family watching the effects of the injuries unfold.

“He has had two bouts of surgery since a tree branch smashed through his truck’s windscreen on Thursday night,” she said.

She added: “Over the past four days, during which Anthony has twice undergone surgery, he has made encouraging progress. However, we are still working through the extent of his injuries and as a family, we are in a very challenging period. There’s a long road ahead.”

Ricciuto’s comments about no brain injury, combined with the family’s description of emotional recovery, leave one central picture clear: Modra is fighting back—physically and psychologically—while the sport he helped define keeps him in its thoughts.

At present, Modra has been moved out of intensive care after surgery on his jaw, cheekbone and eye socket. The accident may have happened near Waitpinga. but the support has reached across Adelaide. across the AFL community. and into the private hospital room where his children are helping him face what comes next.

Tony Modra Erica Modra AFL Adelaide Crows Melbourne Demons truck crash Flinders Medical Centre Mark Ricciuto Murray Davis Waitpinga Fleurieu Peninsula