Alex McKinnon has revealed that being paralysed in a devastating on-field accident helped him stop obsessing over controlling every aspect of his life, and shared his desire to have children with his fiancée Lily Malone.
The former Newcastle Knights star was left permanently wheelchair-bound after fracturing his C4 and C5 vertebrae during a tackle gone horribly wrong in a 2014 match against the Melbourne Storm.
McKinnon separated from his wife and high school sweetheart Teigan Power in 2022, with whom he has three daughters. He has since found love with Malone, whom he proposed to in Paris in October last year.
Now aged 34, McKinnon has spoken about the positive side of the life-altering injury. 'I was so fixated on control,' he said of his life before the accident. 'I still believe in trying to do your best every day, but there are a lot of things you can't control that will impact where you end up.'
McKinnon believes breaking his back happened for a reason. 'That was my path because I'm having a great impact now,' he told News Corp. 'It makes sense to me now ... it didn't initially. Initially when you have a spinal cord injury, you want a cure. You want things to go back to the way they were. But you need to get to a point in your life where you stop looking back and accept what you're going through.'
McKinnon graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in psychological science in 2024 and is known for his public speaking work with charities and schools. He has returned to the Knights as a pathways recruitment analyst, in addition to his role with Fox Sports.
McKinnon met Malone while both were studying at university; their romance became public in early 2024 when she was 22. He praised the social worker's impact on his life: 'She's a beautiful girl that has helped my spirituality journey and my ability to open up and connect and value different things. I'm very lucky to have her.'
Asked about having children with Malone, he replied, 'One hundred per cent. I need some boys. But I absolutely love being a girl dad.' He added that his daughters are 'very aware, massively observant and very considerate. They don't know life any different than me being in a wheelchair, and it comes from that.'
'I'm living the dream life now. I love my partner. We get on so well. The kids are healthy and happy and I have the nicest relationship with them.'
On Sunday morning, Malone posted an Instagram story with the caption '365 days until I'm Lily McKinnon'. To celebrate their engagement, the couple shared photos of themselves at famous Paris landmarks, including one of Lily in front of the Louvre Museum showing off her engagement ring—a large diamond on a gold band. A family member commented, 'To say we are excited is an understatement. You two are very special, we are so happy for you and welcome you into our family Alex.'
