Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
4 Jan 2012
Exactly one year, seven days after the entire population of the Queensland town of Theodore had to be evacuated to escape fast rising flood waters, the town is mourning the loss of one of its heroes: SES Volunteer Matt Stevens.
During last year's devastating floods, 28-year-old Matt was one of the volunteers who stayed behind to help evacuate the town as the Dawson River overflowed its banks. He was also one of the last of
to leave.
Now the town's 310 residents are preparing for the funeral of the 28-year-old who died in a freak accident on 30 December, the 12 month anniversary of the day the last 90 people were helicoptered out of the flooded town.
The tragedy occurred when Matt, who was a regular volunteer at the local fire brigade was bending to untie a tow rope from behind one of the fire trucks when it accidently reversed over him, killing him instantly.
"It's a big tragedy, there's no other way to put it," says Fr Noel Milner, parish priest to Theodore and several other towns across central Queensland.
"His loss has hit the town hard and really set everyone back. Spirits are crushed and there is great sadness," says Father Milner.
Both Matt Stevens and his wife, Jessica who is also an SES volunteer were popular and well known throughout Theodore.
"They were always offering to help and during the floods the young fella helped people get to high ground or on to one of the choppers taking us out. Then when we were allowed back, and doing the clean up, he was always there to lend a hand," says Fr Milner.
The funeral for Matt Stevens will be held on Friday, 6 January at Theodore's Uniting Church.
No matter what denomination or faith, everyone from the town is expected to attend and just as Theodore banded together to help one another during last year's floods, they have again banded together to grieve for one of their own and to offer their support to Matt Stevens' young wife, Jessica, his parents, grandparents, brother and sister.
According to Fr Milner 2012 was expected to be a celebration, with the battle to clean up and rebuild after the flood now behind them. However the new year for those in Theodore began instead amid sadness and loss.
Over the past 12 months residents of the small Queensland town with their usual resilience, dry humour and rural stoicism have repaired and cleared away much of the damage caused by last year's flood.
The entire town was inundated and repairs, reconstruction and rebuilding were frequently necessary. This however turned out to be a slow process with urgently-needed trades people in short supply.
Fr Milner says this shortage was not only due to increased demand for tradespeople across Queensland in the wake of last year's widespread floods, but because many of the state's tradesmen have been lured away from towns and cities to take up high paying jobs in the mining industry.
"So for most of us here in Theodore, it's been a case of wait in line," Fr Milner says.
But finally, after almost 12 months of waiting, repair work has begun on Theodore's flood-damaged 80-year-old Sacred Heart Catholic Church where Fr Milner is parish priest.
"They've put the scaffolding up and work has begun on the foundation stumps undermined in the floods and the sagging ceilings," he says and admits as a result of the floods, work on the church and other buildings around Theodore has been made possible.
"There is an old people's home in town that was in dire need of repair but after the floods thanks to insurance and donations to help Theodore recover, the old people's home has been brought up to date and is in far better shape than it was before," he says.
But the pleasure residents felt at Christmas at how their town had managed to pull through, has been dampened and their joy given way to sadness as they mourn Matt Stevens and prepare for his funeral.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/201214_237.shtml
4 Jan 2012
SES hero Matt Stevens
During last year's devastating floods, 28-year-old Matt was one of the volunteers who stayed behind to help evacuate the town as the Dawson River overflowed its banks. He was also one of the last of
to leave.
Now the town's 310 residents are preparing for the funeral of the 28-year-old who died in a freak accident on 30 December, the 12 month anniversary of the day the last 90 people were helicoptered out of the flooded town.
The tragedy occurred when Matt, who was a regular volunteer at the local fire brigade was bending to untie a tow rope from behind one of the fire trucks when it accidently reversed over him, killing him instantly.
Theodore SES volunteer Matthew Stevens (fourth from left),
who was killed after being run over by a fire truck,
with his brother Tim (second from left),
wife Jessica (third from left).
who was killed after being run over by a fire truck,
with his brother Tim (second from left),
wife Jessica (third from left).
"His loss has hit the town hard and really set everyone back. Spirits are crushed and there is great sadness," says Father Milner.
Both Matt Stevens and his wife, Jessica who is also an SES volunteer were popular and well known throughout Theodore.
"They were always offering to help and during the floods the young fella helped people get to high ground or on to one of the choppers taking us out. Then when we were allowed back, and doing the clean up, he was always there to lend a hand," says Fr Milner.
The funeral for Matt Stevens will be held on Friday, 6 January at Theodore's Uniting Church.
No matter what denomination or faith, everyone from the town is expected to attend and just as Theodore banded together to help one another during last year's floods, they have again banded together to grieve for one of their own and to offer their support to Matt Stevens' young wife, Jessica, his parents, grandparents, brother and sister.
Theodore became an inland sea
when the Dawson River broke its banks
when the Dawson River broke its banks
Over the past 12 months residents of the small Queensland town with their usual resilience, dry humour and rural stoicism have repaired and cleared away much of the damage caused by last year's flood.
The entire town was inundated and repairs, reconstruction and rebuilding were frequently necessary. This however turned out to be a slow process with urgently-needed trades people in short supply.
Fr Milner says this shortage was not only due to increased demand for tradespeople across Queensland in the wake of last year's widespread floods, but because many of the state's tradesmen have been lured away from towns and cities to take up high paying jobs in the mining industry.
"So for most of us here in Theodore, it's been a case of wait in line," Fr Milner says.
Repairs to flood damaged Sacred
Heart Church, Theodore
finally underway
Heart Church, Theodore
finally underway
"They've put the scaffolding up and work has begun on the foundation stumps undermined in the floods and the sagging ceilings," he says and admits as a result of the floods, work on the church and other buildings around Theodore has been made possible.
"There is an old people's home in town that was in dire need of repair but after the floods thanks to insurance and donations to help Theodore recover, the old people's home has been brought up to date and is in far better shape than it was before," he says.
But the pleasure residents felt at Christmas at how their town had managed to pull through, has been dampened and their joy given way to sadness as they mourn Matt Stevens and prepare for his funeral.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/201214_237.shtml
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