A 12-year-old girl from the NSW Hunter Valley who died after a battle with mental health was struggling after losing her dad to suicide a year earlier, her devastated family have confirmed.
Alisha Rush, affectionately known as Ali or ‘Ali Cat’, died on July 21 while receiving mental health treatment.
She has been remembered as a much-loved daughter, sister, friend and talented young rugby league player whose loss has left her community heartbroken.
Her family said the loss of her dad, Kurt Rush, who died by suicide in June 2025, hit Ali hard. She was just days away from receiving medical help when she died.
‘Ali idolised her dad (and) never quite had been able to cope with him gone,’ her paternal grandmother, Lana Simpson, told the Daily Mail.
‘That is the failure of the system. Ali had an appointment last Friday but never got there. It was an urgent referral from the school but was unable to be seen for 3.5 weeks.
‘The mental health system is a massive failure, whether it be for children or adults.’
Ms Simpson said the family has been left broken by the double loss but knows Ali is now reunited with her dad, her favourite person in the world.
Alisha, 12, tragically died after a battle with mental health just over a year since her dad Kurt died by suicide
Her family said Ali idolised her dad and never quite had been able to cope with him gone
Her heartbroken family said they had been trying their hardest to help her
With research showing that children who have lost a parent to suicide are three times more likely to die by suicide, Ms Simpson is desperate to ensure no other family faces a similar tragedy.
She will participate alongside her daughter, Jorga, in Lifeline’s ‘Out of the Shadows Walk’ on September 10 to help raise funds for suicide prevention services.
The family also hopes to attend Ali’s usual rugby league game this weekend, where her Southlakes Roosters teammates are expected to pay a special tribute to her.
She had been playing for the Roosters’ Under-12 girls team this season.
‘We know this will be an emotional day for many. Support will be available at our home ground for any player, parent, carer, volunteer or supporter who may need it,’ the club said in a statement.
‘Thank you to everyone who has wrapped their arms around Ali’s family, her teammates and our Club over the past week. Your compassion has reminded us of what the rugby league community is all about.
‘Once a Rooster, always a Rooster.’
Junior rugby league clubs from across the Hunter have also been invited to honour Ali’s memory this weekend by wearing pink ribbons, styling their hair in three plaits or braids to represent her number three jersey, wearing wristbands, and holding a minute’s silence before kick-off.
She was just days away from receiving medical treatment when she died
Hunter MP Dan Repacholi shared a heartbreaking video of Ali’s teammates walking onto the pitch while carrying her number three jersey last weekend
Multiple clubs responded, saying they would proudly retire their number three jersey for the round and join the tribute.
Ali’s mum, Leanne, who was separated from Kurt at the time of his death, also paid tribute to her daughter, telling 2GB she was an ‘amazing, intelligent and kind girl.’
‘She loved playing sports and going to the beach. She loved her music and played it all hours of the night, until I went into the room and told her to turn it down,’ Leanne said.
‘She knew she had mental health problems but she also tried to put on a brave face.’
A GoFundMe has also been launched to help support Leanne and the wider family with Ali’s funeral costs.
If this story affected you, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
