A father. A fighter. A fairly opinionated bloke.

Steve Reddaway.Still here. Still laughing. Still got something to say.

After a heart attack nearly ended his story, Steve started writing to his sons about the stuff that matters: family, resilience, leadership, footy, laughter—and making the most of your time.

Steve Reddaway with his sons and friends on the beach
Eight not outStill swinging
Steve & the boysBrisbane, Australia
01The man behind the Red Dog

Life got loud.
Steve wrote it down.

Steve and his wife on their wedding day in 1989Mr & Mrs Red Dog, 1989

Steve is a Melbourne-born, Brisbane-based husband, father, HR man, sports nut and lifelong believer that most things can be made better with humour, honesty and a decent yarn.

In 2018, on holiday in Phuket, a heart attack stopped him in his tracks. Three stents, an irregular heartbeat and one brutal night later, his family was told to expect the worst. Steve made it home.

That close call sharpened an idea: write something for Tom and Nick that might help them understand their dad, themselves and life. The result became the Red Dog's Blogs—warm, blunt, funny reflections on everything from parenthood and leadership to Richmond and lawn bowls.

And then?

In 2025, a cardiac arrest took him down again. Friends, CPR and a club defibrillator brought him back. In Steve's words: eight not out.

Steve writing in his memorabilia-filled home officeThe “Dungeon”—home of the Red Dog's Blog
02A life in four chapters

No straight lines.
Plenty of good stories.

Hover if you're curious. Steve usually is.

01

1959 onward

Learning what family means

Growing up through the hard bits, then deciding to build something warmer.

A young Steve standing with his mother
02

The main event

Husband. Dad. Proud as punch.

Tom and Nick were always the reason. The book simply made it official.

Steve's sons Tom and Nick as children in football jumpers
03

2018 + 2025

Getting back up. Then doing it again.

Prostate cancer, heart failure and cardiac arrest. Still here. Still laughing.

Steve seated with his sons and friends
04

2020—2026

Putting a lifetime on paper

One hundred blogs, one final epilogue and a book for the boys.

Steve's sons Tom and Nick as adults
03Red Dog's rules for life

A few things
Steve reckons.

Hard-earned. Lightly delivered. Best read in an Australian accent.

Resilience is the key to just about everything.

— Red Dog rule #01
Willow, Steve's little red dog

Make people laugh and you'll be doing the world the greatest favour of all.

— Red Dog rule #02

Leave the joint better off than you found it.

— Red Dog rule #03
Front cover of Dear Boys... Red Dog's Blogs by S J Reddaway
100blogs
04The book

By S J Reddaway

Dear Boys...

Not quite a memoir. More like a very long, very funny conversation with a dad who has lived enough life to know what matters.

Written across 18 months, Dear Boys... gathers Steve's Red Dog blogs into a practical, personal record for his sons—and for anyone who has ever wished they'd asked a parent one more question.

100
original blogs
18
months of writing
1
unexpected epilogue
Ask Steve about the book

The whole reason

“To our amazing sons, Tom and Nick—may you both find something useful here to help you on your way.”
Dad's still got a bit to say.Talk to the Red Dog