Rebecca Wilson dies, succumbs to breast cancer

Distinguished sports journalist Rebecca Wilson has lost her battle with breast cancer. She passed away on Friday at the age of 54.

A joint statement released by her family said she died at their home in Sydney surrounded by loved ones. She is survived by her husband, former News Limited chief executive John Hartigan, and sons Tom and Will. Wilson was previously married to TV producer Howard Sacre.

The family said that Wilson intentionally kept her condition a closely guarded secret to limit the suffering of friends, colleagues and loved ones.

"Courage has always been a significant part of her DNA, no less in her desperate battle against her insidious disease," they said.

“We are so proud that she was so fearless in her chosen role as a sports journalist. She brushed aside evil trolls, bullies and organised crime figures to prosecute her craft. She proved that women had an equally important role in sports journalism as her male counterparts. We dearly love and miss our Bec.”

Wilson and Hartigan had just come home from a long European vacation according to Fairfax Media.

Friends and colleagues paid tribute to her.

“She was a passionate and gutsy reporter who loved sport. She will be missed,” said Fairfax journalist Kate McClymont. ABC News presenter Juanita Phillips said Wilson was a “funny, gutsy, one of a kind, unforgettable woman.”

Wilson was a decorated sports reporter for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph publications. She also appeared regularly as a panellist on “SportsNight with James Bracey” on Sky News.

She also worked on radio as a co-host on the Vega 95.3 breakfast show with Tony Squires and Mikey Robins. She had strong opinions about the A-League that were controversial and received considerable amount of scrutiny.

Wilson belonged to a family of media personalities. Her father was former New Limited foreign correspondent Bruce Wilson. Her brother, Jim Wilson, is also a sports journalist/reporter.