Veteran TV journalist Mike Willesee farewelled in Sydney
Mourners have gathered at St Mary‘s Cathedral in Sydney for the funeral of veteran TV journalist Mike Willesee.
Mourners have gathered at St Mary‘s Cathedral in Sydney for the funeral of veteran TV journalist Mike Willesee.
The former Four Corners and A Current Affair host died of throat cancer on March 1 aged 76.
Sydney’s Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher oversaw the requiem mass, attended by giants of the city’s TV industry.
Willesee’s ex wife Gordana Poljak and the couple’s son Rok, A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw, media heavyweight George Negus and Peter Meakin, former head of news for Channel 9, were among the first to arrive.
Mr Meakin said: “ It’s a very sad day for a hell of a lot of people.
“He was very much a one off. He was also very brave, no one could intimidate him not even Kerry Packer.”
Brother Terry said: “He will be much missed. He was a great brother who always tried to give me a leg up. He was so kind. “
Entertainment guru Richard Wilkins, accompanied by girlfriend Virginia Burmeister, described Willesee as “inspirational” while former Nine boss David Leckie said he was ”one of a kind”.
Willesee’s son, Michael Jnr arrived with his wife, Alison Langdon, ten minutes before the start of the service, their grief mixed with the joy of having welcomed a new child into their family.
Langdon, a reporter on 60 Minutes, gave birth to the couple’s second child Scout on Sunday, just days after her father-in-law passed away.
Michael Jnr gave the eulogy in the same entertaining story-teller way his father spoke.
He said while many knew his father, few knew who he really was and took the chance to share some anecdotes and insider insights.
He said his father, despite being a famous journalist, was actually an introvert who struggled with the contradiction of being a public figure as well as being incredibly shy and preferring his own company
But despite that, he said his father loved telling stories - “usually about himself - those were our bedtime stories, actually,” he said.
As kids they would hear stories about his dad’s “car chases and scrapes with bad guys”.
And even though his dad was famous, respected and loved being a journalist, Willesee Jnr said he and his siblings knew they were the most important things in their dad’s life.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison sent a message for the service, read out by Archbishop Fisher.
Like many, he remembered Willesee as being the face of the news growing up.
He called the veteran journalist as fearless with deep insight and an understanding of the Australian people.
He said Willesee’s contribution to the Australian media landscape “cannot be understated,” what he referred to as pioneering a golden age of media in our country.
He said Willesee’s personified the patriotism that pursued the truth about Australia’s character.
“He told story of our changing country,” the Prime Minister said
The homily was given by Father Augustine Mary Withoos, who was also a close friend of the religious Willesee.
His homily was deeply personal and reflective of their friendship and Willesee’s relationship between journalism and religion.
“It was a plane crash in Nairobi Kenya - where Mike had been chasing a story - that would see him begin praying again. Characteristically, as the plane was plummeting towards earth, Mike prayed not just for himself but the lives of his film crew - on that flight because of him - might be spared,” the priest recounted.
Soon after that was when Willesee started to truly believe in god and made it his mission to mix his passions of storytelling and god.
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