Helen O'Byrne

Dear Gavin,

What you give out in life is what you get back and you have truly lived this way more than anyone I know.

There is so much love for you Gavin and this is because you have made a place in your heart for so many people. Such a big heart.

Your ability to communicate has always been incredible and now at this very hard time you are still communicating. I believe the impact your story will have on people’s lives, will be far deeper for it. Too many of us worry about stuff we can’t control and if I have learnt one very important thing from you it is not to meet trouble half way.

You are one of the most genuine and honest people that I have ever had the pleasure to know.

The one thing that has struck me more than anything is your incredible strength of spirit over the past 16 months.

Every time I have spoken to you, you have been so positive and always still thinking of others.

I have been blessed to know you for over ten years and have so many funny memories of you……………you gave me my first job in advertising in Australia – you told me at my interview “You are hired but if you are a wall flower, we will find out and you won’t last!”. Then when I gave you & Ashton a serve one day, you never ever let me forget it! Ever! You drove me insane with your god damn terrible Irish accent repeating my full name and over and over asking me where my caravan was. It drove me demented for over two years and the full name lilt stuck! You were such an incredible mentor and I will never forget your encouragement for me to take your role when you left for the US. I was scared and not ready but you said……..”you will never be ready, just do it” . There were funny times catching up with you in Dallas at the KFC/Pizza Hut conventions with memories doing those crazy YUM cheers! I have told you everything that I have wanted to say over the past few weeks so know that you, Maz, Gus, Van and Josie are constantly in my thoughts, my heart and my prayers.

Thank you for being who you are.

Sending you all my love

Helen