South Australia’s true heroes — the 2014 Pride of Australia winners
A MAN dies saving his wife from an avalanche. A little boy, 4, rescues his younger brother from drowning. Here are the 2014 Pride of Australia award recipients. ALL THE WINNERS
ONE year ago today, Kenneth “Dean” Higgins and his wife Wendy left Adelaide to trek the remote mountains of Tibet on the trip of a lifetime.
Only Wendy would return home.
Seven days into a nine day trek, an avalanche hit the couple as they lay in their tent, burying them under six feet of snow.
For six hours, Dean dug, first with his hands, then with a stick, clad only in a T-shirt and underpants to free the couple from the snow.
Wendy survived but Dean died the next day from hypothermia.
Now, his extraordinary bravery was recognised when he was awarded a posthumous Pride of Australia medal in the Outstanding Bravery category.
The award was accepted by an emotional Wendy, who said there was nothing less selfish in the world than someone who sacrifices their life to save another’s.
“In hindsight he saved my life four or five times on that trip,’’ she said at the ceremony at Keith Murdoch House, home to The Advertiser, Sunday Mail and Messenger Newspapers — which sponsor the event with the Ten Network.
“From the way he placed the backpacks in the tent because of his Boy Scout training that created an air pocket when the avalanche hit, to waking me up moments before it hit so I wasn’t lying down, to digging us out, he saved my life.”
Along with the couple they were travelling with, Wendy has financed a hut on the side of the mountain where they were trapped. In May they will travel back to Tibet to attach a plaque to it that reads simply — “Deano’s Shelter”.
“It’s been a difficult last year and this medal is a great recognition of what Dean did,’’ she said.
“To start with, every night, I would think of being in the tent with him. That’s the last time I was really with him.
“He’s in my thoughts every day.”
Mr Higgins was one of 10 inspiring South Australians who were honoured at Wednesday’s ceremony, which recognised the altruism, courage and dedication of these special people.
Advertiser Newspaper’s Regional Director South Australia Ish Davies said the stories shared through the awards, which are celebrating their 10th year, were incredibly humbling.
“Each and every one of the nominations tells an inspiring story, not only of their actions but the extent to which they inspire the community,’’ he said.
“It might have been that they inspired their family or a neighbour or a charity or indeed that they inspired a perfect stranger, but the time they took to nominate, tells of just how important those actions were.”
Other winners included Courage medallist Aidan Barry, a 17-year-old who has not only dealt with many health issues including being born with a major heart condition and without arms but is a sports fanatic who plays golf, soccer and is training for selection for the Paralympics table tennis team.
Aidan fist-pumped the air when his name was announced and shared that he’d had a pretty good year, especially on the golf course.
Four-year-old Lachlan Gray, of Belair, won the Child of Courage medal for saving his brother (Mitchell, 20 months) from drowning in a garden pond.
His parents, Keith and Catherine Gray, are still overwhelmed at Lachlan’s heroic actions.
“We are very proud and it’s quite emotional to think about what could have happened if Lachlan hadn’t stepped in,” Mr Gray said.
“It is such a simple thing in the grand scheme, but things can happen so quickly.
“Life would have been unthinkable if he hadn’t acted the way he did.”
Environment winner Rae Campbell, 70, who confessed, with a laugh, that she planned to continue her work as a wildlife advocate and carer “only until I die”.
The Care and Compassion medal was won by Murray Bridge’s Monica Perrett, who has campaigned for the rights of foster parents since the death of her foster son and nephew, Finn, in May.
Her campaign will allow foster parents to view the child’s body, have a say in funeral arrangements, and be recognised in their role as guardians with a letter that accompanies the death certificate.
“Honoured and shocked” by her win, Monica said she would continue to fight for foster parents in memory of the baby she loved like her own.
“I don’t want other foster parents to go through what we did and we’re still fighting to have it fully accepted by parliament,’’ she said.
“We did this in the name of Finn.”
All medallists honoured will be eligible to win the gold medal in their category at the National Pride of Australia ceremony.
The National Pride of Australia ceremony will be held at Sydney Town Hall on Thursday, December 11, and will be broadcast by Channel Ten.
All the 2014 award recipients
Community Spirit — Terry Smith
Terry Smith, 75, of Burnside was recognised for his work establishing the Believe Foundation in 2009 to provide support for unpaid carers.
“I was very honoured but I really felt it was an award for everybody associated with Believe,” he said.
Mr Smith and his wife, Diana, started the foundation in 2009 after caring for one of their two sons highlighted the lack of help available for carers.
They also launched the Thanks for Caring initiative to help carers, including carers as young as six, with financial support, respite, and education.
Courage — Aidan Barry
THE only thing preventing Aidan Barry, 17, from achieving his long list of goals is a lack of time.
The Marion teenager juggles countless medical appointments, Year 11 studies, sport and volunteer work, leaving little time for his other love — playing video games.
Aidan, who was born without arms, has been recognised for his tireless work helping other young people living with a disability.
“It was so good to be a part of a group of people who are all so passionate about different things in their lives,” Aidan, 17, said of the award ceremony.
“I was really proud and surprised to be acknowledged.”
Young Leader — James ‘Jimmy’ Harrington
Jimmy Harrington believes you are never too young to make a difference.
The plight of a 7-year-old brain cancer victim, Emily Crook, inspired the Jimmy, 21, of Reynella to walk 18,000km around Australia raising $250,000 for the Brainchild Foundation, which supports children with brain and spinal cancer.
“You have to believe in yourself and what you want to do, then you can do anything,” he said.
“To know there are younger people looking up to me as a role model for them is very touching.”
Environment — Rae Campbell
THERE were people who thought Rae Campbell and her late husband Warren’s dream of opening Adelaide’s only koala hospital was a crazy one.
But winning a Pride of Australia medal confirmed her belief in opening the self-funded Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Hospital at Plympton last November.
Her tears flowed after receiving her medal but the humble wildlife lover refused to take all of the credit.
“This isn’t just for me, it is for the vets, the vet nurses and the volunteers who help nurse the animals back to health,” Mrs Campbell, 70, said.
“This is for everybody who helped make this dream a reality.”
Fair Go — Mallika Prasad-Chowta
Mallika Prasad-Chowta, 66, was recognised for her contribution to multiculturalism and the community since migrating to Adelaide from India in 1975.
“I was so surprised. I feel humbled and a sense of gratitude because I’ve had all these great opportunities to work with the community and I received a medal of recognition at the end of it,” the Myrtle Bank resident said.
Mrs Prasad-Chowta is a former president of the Indian Australian Association of SA who introduced the Mela Festival of Indian culture and food at Elder Park.
Despite having more than 30 years experience in the arts arena, Mrs Prasad-Chowta said one of her proudest achievements was teaching Aboriginal people about nutrition for nearly two decades.
Inspiration — Fiora Christou
FIORA Christou says being honoured for her work to open the state's first autistic specific school is one of the proudest moments of her life.
“Apart from having my children, this is the most amazing achievement of my life,” the Brompton 42-year-old and mother of an autistic son, said.
“My mother passed away when she was 49 of pancreatic cancer and she was a big advocate of learning.”
Treetop Autism Specific School is scheduled to open next year and cater for 45 students.
Child of Courage — Lachlan Gray
Lachlan Gray, 4, saved his brother Mitchell, 20 months, from drowning in a garden pond.
Mitchell overbalanced and fell head first into a small pond made from a wine barrel at the family’s Belair home.
Lachlan pulled lifted his brother’s head out of the water while yelling for his mother.
His parents, Keith and Catherine Gray, are still overwhelmed at Lachlan’s heroic actions.
“We are really proud he was announced the winner,” Mrs Gray says.
Mr Gray added: “Life would have been unthinkable if he hadn’t acted the way he did.”
Outstanding Bravery — Kenneth ‘Dean’ Higgins
Dean, 61, and his wife Wendy Higgins were trekking in Tibet last October when their tent was hit by an avalanche, trapping them under six feet of snow.
Running out of air and with no idea if anyone was trying to rescue them, Mr Higgins — dressed in a T-shirt and underpants — ripped the tent apart and spent six hours digging them to freedom
Sadly, the Glenelg resident died the next day from hypothermia but Mrs Higgins, survived thanks to her husband’s strength, tenacity and refusal to give up.
“He saved my life and this (award) is recognition of what Dean did,’’ she said.
Care and Commpassion — Monica Perrett
MONICA Perrett has been fighting for the rights of foster parents since the death of her foster son and nephew, Finn, in May.
More than 40,000 people have signed her petition to convince the State Government to change laws which would allow foster parents to view a child’s body once it dies and to include the name of foster parents’ on the child’s death certificate.
Mrs Perrett said she wouldn’t stop fighting until the changes were fully accepted by parliament.
“I am honoured and shocked and wasn’t expecting the win because we fought for the name of Finn,’’ she said.
“I don’t want other foster parents to go through what we did”.
Heroism — Trevor Stevens
Trevor Stevens, 57, epitomises the spirit of our Country Fire Service volunteers.
The Wirrabara resident was recognised for his role fighting the devastating Bangor fire in the southern Flinders Ranges which burned through 35,000ha of land and destroyed three houses.
Despite losing 75 per cent of the grazing land on his own properties, he worked tirelessly to protect the homes of others.
“You just do what you got to do, this (award) is a big surprise” he said.