my VHL warrior

Our dad was kind, strong, stubborn and had a terrible sense of humour, one that, well after his hearing had begun to fade and his speech harder to understand he refused to give up on this. His favourite joke with us seemed to be hilariously pretending to run us over with his wheelchair, but with his less than perfect coordination, more often than not, this would mean a squashed foot or bashed leg. His grandchildren quickly learnt escape and dodge, sadly not so for Jo, me, my mum and often the dogs.

All three of us know his seemingly endless patience, most demonstrated when he taught us to drive. Dad was always willing to help us learn and grow and encourage us to follow our hearts, be that travel, people, careers.

The messages coming through highlight his level of generosity, his willingness to give and share. He loved to cook, thanks to mum. If she hadn’t tricked him into starting to cook when we were little children, we would have had to endure many of her creations. Dad’s meals were wonderful, except that that banana and cloves thing, his most memorable mistake. He adored searching for ingredients and making meals for friends and family, using most of a Saturday to prepare delicious curries or other recipes he had studied in his vast array of cookbooks.

He generously shared his love of music and he would serenade us from his room, playing guitar while us children were trying to get to sleep, sounds of Dylan and Elvis Costello helping me drift off in my safe sleep. He loved to perform and when Jo got married it was a privilege and joy for me and dad to sing for her, we practiced so hard and we spent hours working on the timing and phrasing, almost getting it right on the day.  Years later, I remember the pride I felt as I watched him host ‘The Wood and the Wire’, once again giving his time to gather people together to share and enjoy music they all loved.

He gave lifts, memorably to a lost man on a roundabout, who then ended up staying at our house for a night, my dad gently waking me with the cup of tea he gave me every school day morning saying,  “Don’t be alarmed but there is a French man in the kitchen”

Perhaps one of the best gifts he gave me was my determination to be a teacher. Getting the ferry across to Greenacre during school holidays, I knew that he was a great teacher. He gave up his time to take his students on camping trips, and we would go along,  the whole family and a selection of students, sitting round campfires, making up ghost stories for the walk through the haunted forest. And he gave his dignity more than once, a bath of beans or performing ‘I’ve got you babe’ to a hall full of children, all falling about at just how silly he and Keith were. He gave his knowledge, passing on wisdom and experience, I’m not sure if he helped or hindered generations of children with his mediocre French or if he confused or amused all those students who were falsely informed that the Acle Straight is a roman road, but like his dad before him he inspired so many, some who will have quietly let him know and many who didn’t.  When I embarked on my teacher training, he gave me lots of advice. One of the best being ‘Don’t ask your students to do anything if you don’t know why you’re asking’ And to this day and many to come, when I deliver training to new teachers this is my most important piece of advice, that and “a 5 minute detention has as much impact as a 30 minute one, so don’t punish yourself along with the child.” He had a gift with difficult students, some who I knew from school, who told me my dad was ‘alright.’ High praise from those who didn’t trust easily and so many other people had given up on.

He gave his love and time to his grandchildren, those near and my one, for the last few years very far away. A remembers fondly him allowing her to paint his nails and he kept it until it faded. Recently, with us being so far away I know he gave time after time, writing out emails and messages, so we could keep in touch. Carefully trying to type out memories and facts for her history project on her family.

He always gave me a realistic sense of just how strong we all are, through the hardest of times he reminded us, everything passes, the good and the bad. He gave me an inner strength and a true sense of hope and made me a true VHL warrior, as he was. He gave me permission to be frightened and at the same time he gave me the ability to face each scan, appointment and operation with the knowledge it would be ok.  

He gave anyone who needed it his time and his compassion. He was a good listener. No matter what, he was ready with support and love and never judgement. He took us as we were and loved us no matter what. J, mum and me have worked with so many disadvantaged and broken families over the years, we know the damage that can be done by lack of true love, but without question our dad loved us unconditionally and we fiercely love him back.

Thank you dad for all you gave us, I could have written pages more but mum said the service was only 45 minutes and it could be all from me.