“We all have hearts…. If you have a heart, love somebody. If you have enough heart, love everybody.” ~ Stevie Wonder
I can clearly remember the first time I met Terry. We had just launched our first van, Hugo and were parked outside St Matthews car park in Auckland City. It was cold, wet and 6am in the morning. Terry was actually bringing along a friend who needed to use our services, but he stuck around for a chat while he waited.
As he and I were talking, we discovered that we shared a mutual love for Stevie Wonder songs. For years after that, Terry would come out weekly and visit the volunteers on shift just to connect, to pull out his speaker and play some 80s tunes for us to enjoy.
Orange Sky Aotearoa recognises how lonely and isolating it can be for people doing it tough. Terry understood that too and he shared that same passion for connecting with others. He would always be the first to welcome any new person – whether it was a new volunteer on shift or someone using our services. At Orange Sky, we refer to anyone who comes along to shift as a ‘friend,’ and Terry was the first to make me realise that it was so much more than just a word.
It’s hard to imagine a world without Terry’s bright and gentle energy to keep us company, but I take comfort in knowing that he was surrounded by so many people that he had impacted and who loved him dearly.
I am blessed to have called you my friend Terry, and do life alongside you for a time. I’ll miss our chats and having you out with us on shift. I hope to make you proud, and I’ll be sure to keep the Stevie Wonder tunes playing as a reminder of your impact on all of our lives.
Ed
Terry’s legacy of unwavering kindness, acceptance and friendship will forever be a part of our service in New Zealand. Our hearts go out to Terry’s family, the Auckland team and wider New Zealand community of friends, volunteers and staff who had the pleasure of knowing and connecting with Terry.
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