Chilling latest photo emerges of Socceroos star, 46, as he is found dead in bushland – and his stunning act of generosity that inspired Australia
Former Socceroos star Stephen Laybutt was seen wearing board shorts and carrying a brown shopping bag on the day he went missing – when his body was found in bushland.
The 46-year-old – who played 15 games for the national team from 2000 to 2000 – was last seen alive at a house in Casuarina, northern NSW, about 9pm on Friday.
He was reported missing the next day when friends were unable to find him or contact him.
Police found his silver Mercedes parked outside a shop in nearby Cabarita at around 11.30am on Saturday, prompting an extensive search.
To aid the search, police uploaded a CCTV image of Laybutt to social media, describing him as bald and with a distinctive Ying and Yang tattoo on his right calf.
The former A-league star was seen wearing blue patterned board shorts, thongs and a light blue T-shirt with black sunglasses around his collar.
Stephen Laybutt was last seen wearing blue board shorts, thong and a blue shirt (pictured)
Stephen Laybutt, 46, played 15 games for the national team from 2000 to 2004. He was reported missing near the NSW-Queensland border on Saturday morning.
Laybutt was playing for the Newcastle Jets (pictured right, fighting John Aloisi) when his career was ended by a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2008
His body was found in bushland near Cabarita at around 7pm on Sunday. His death is not considered suspicious.
In December 2021, Laybutt donated his kidney to 67-year-old Ian Pavey, who he met while working in the rehabilitation unit at St Vincent's Private Hospital.
Laybutt had been helping patients recovering from surgery and other ailments when he met Mr Pavey, who was on the transplant list awaiting a donor for his failing kidneys.
Mr Pavey was on dialysis for three terrible years until a text from Laybutt on February 28 changed his life.
“Hey buddy, it's Steve from St. Vincent's,” the message read.
'I want to see if I can give you a kidney. Think about it.'
'Who is this?' this is what the 67 year old replied.
The football star came out as gay after retiring and said: 'My sexuality had a huge effect on my career'
The 46-year-old (pictured playing for the Newcastle Jets) donated one of his kidneys to a virtual stranger in 2021 in a stunning display of generosity
Laybutt sent the above text message to Ian Pavey, 67, in February 2021
The pair, who were virtual strangers, met while Laybutt was helping Mr Pavey recover from knee surgery while he was receiving dialysis in another part of the hospital.
“I just liked his attitude,” Laybutt said.
'He was always positive. I thought, 'I have to help this man.' People have asked me what the thought process was behind it. I just thought it was the right thing to do.”
Pavey was in disbelief after spending three years on the hospital's transplant list, with his wife deemed an incompatible donor.
Laybutt was a perfect match.
“After the operation, I sat in a private room in the public hospital just in disbelief that someone had actually done this for me,” Mr Pavey recalled.
'I knew he was a Socceroos player but I'm a rugby fan. I thought I had to change the codes. We will be connected for life.'
Laybutt (pictured with a friend) previously revealed that hiding his true self took a toll because 'no one knew' he was gay before he came out
Laybutt grew up in Wollongong before receiving a scholarship from the Australian Institute of Sport.
He later signed with the Brisbane Strikers before representing Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics with the Olyroos.
The same year, the rising football star made his debut with the Socceroos while bouncing between clubs in Europe and Australia.
After Laybutt retired during the 2008 A-League series due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, the star came out as gay – something he was never comfortable with throughout his career.
Laybutt met his partner Michael Lutteral in 2010, and the footballer reflected on how his retirement from football could allow him to confront who he was.
The centre-back (pictured during Jets training) represented Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
'[My sexuality] had a huge effect on my career,” Laybutt said.
'I wish I had played in a World Cup, but it was still quite a career.'
He revealed how much effort it was to reveal his true self after he finished playing football.
“There was no way I was ever going to get out,” he said.
'Everyone says your mother knows, your best friend knows… Nobody knew.
'It takes quite a bit of effort to hide like that. I had girlfriends; I thought I had to go down that path, but you're like, 'How is this going to work?'
'Then football goes on and life goes on and you say to yourself: 'Come on, be realistic'. Just lie to yourself all the time. That breaks you and you go down a path of self-destruction.”
Laybutt reached out to A-League star Josh Cavallo after coming out in October 2021.
“The support he is getting is great, but hopefully he can get going and become a decent player who is judged on his ability, not as a gay footballer, even though he always will be,” he said at the time.
'I feel good about myself now. I am not ashamed or embarrassed. It's who I am.'