I was in China last week and lament that I did not hear of Gavin Larkin’s death.
A friend alerted me to the news. She had read a post I had written for R U OK Day 2010.
Despite being very busy with the 2010 event Gavin took time to comment on my post.
I wrote another post this year. I am sorry I missed Gavin on Australian Story but did hear him on Radio National.
In his interview it was the first time I learned about his illness …
I’m now in palliative care and it’s, I don’t have long to live which is not a great situation but RU OK Day was always something that I wanted to see live on because it is more important than me and hence, you know, why I’m so excited about what the team’s done in my absence this year because, you know, it’s really reached its tipping point.
On hearing that I felt profoundly sad that I had not known and not asked Gavin how he was travelling.
I am in awe of Gavin’s bravery and vision. I have an enormous debt of gratitude to him. Like many, many other people I accept responsibility for carrying on Gav’s work in my everyday life … like him I believe that caring for each other is not a one day thing or a some day thing … it is a right now, everyday thing.
Vale Gav.
Photo
The Daily Telegraph
