Merry Christmas

Just after the Sydney 2000 Olympics, a close friend of mine was killed in an accident involving seven others.

It was the lead story across all the news bulletins that night.

In a heartbeat, those who could, dropped everything and moved in close to support his widowed wife and two your old daughter.

The rest made promises to help with the mortgage and set up a trust fund for his daughters education

The only hot debate was where to put a plaque in loving memory of him.

And being much younger and ignorant back then, I remember thinking, “Who the hell will forget THIS bloke!”

But as a people, we move on quickly.

For example, this time five years ago, the bush fires were tearing up the east coast of Australia like a massive fireball, decimating everything in its path.

And when pictures emerged of tired firefighters drip feeding charred koalas with their water bottles, the whole world made a collective pledge to never let it happen again.

And then Covid reared it’s invisible head a few weeks later and we immediately forgot about the burnt communities and baked koalas.

A few weeks ago, my late mates wife and I had our usual Christmas catch-up. And she was in good form.

She retired from work this year and recently started a new relationship.

Her daughter who graduated from uni with a master’s degree a few years, is now engaged to be married.

In recent years, I’ve noticed that during our catch-ups, she’s been willing and wanting to talk about her husband’s death in a very matter-of-fact way.

Maybe because her husband’s perpetrators have now been released from prison.

Whatever the reason, you sense it’s very cathartic for her.

So during our last catch-up, I asked what she remembers most about the events following her husbands shocking death.

This was her response…

“I remember a lot, good and bad, but here’s something I will always treasure…

Every year on the anniversary of my husband’s death, Detective Inspector, Hans Rupp of the NSW Police, calls to say ‘hi’ and to see how I am”.

Hans Rupp was the lead investigator in 2020 and his work on the case was more than forensic. It was indomitable to the very end.

He retired in 2016 but he still calls the victims families every year on their anniversaries.

What a champion!

He doesn’t make a big deal out of it. He just picks up the phone years after the fact when most others have forgotten.

Around Christmas/New year, it’s not uncommon for people to reflect on the sort of legacy they’ll leave and how they want to be remembered.

Hans Rupp will arguably leave the most impressive legacy of all.

He’ll be remembered because he remembered others when it mattered most.

Merry Christmas!

Adam