How a Darwin retiree turned the devastating loss of his family into Christmas lunches for the needy
Updated
A Darwin retiree who has lost nearly all of his family around multiple Christmases has turned "a very sad time of year" into festive lunches for thousands of people in need.
Dusty (name changed) had three sons who died over the span of a decade, all around the festive season.
In 2013 he lost his wife just two days before Christmas.
"I've also laid to rest my sister, brother-in-law and both my parents," he said.
"Christmas is a very sad time of year for me.
"All my friends know that it's not a happy time of year for me. That's the way it is and I can't do anything about it."
Dusty no longer celebrates Christmas.
However, the year after his wife's death he decided he would spend what he normally did on the festive season on making other people's days a bit happier.
"I got a grand total of 20 turkeys from the supermarket and I gave them to Foodbank," he said.
"I just decided that I can't enjoy Christmas but I'd like other people to enjoy it — I've always been a giver."
Dusty's donation this year has grown into a whole pallet — 324 turkeys to be exact — which he delivered to the national charity's warehouse in Darwin this week.
Distributed by Foodbank to needy households and soup kitchens in the lead-up to Christmas, the pallet of turkeys contributes to about 2,000 lunches for people who might have otherwise gone without.
"On behalf of those families who never dreamed they would be eating turkey this Christmas, we are incredibly appreciative," Peter Fisher, chief executive of Foodbank NT, said.
Dusty urged others to follow his lead.
"I'd like people to think about what's on their table and just drop a bit extra into the shopping trolley.
"Even if you've got very little; a few packets of gravy mix, some cranberry sauce, fresh vegetables, Foodbank will be able to get it to where it's needed."
This year Dusty has given away his wife's artificial Christmas tree and many ornaments collected over the years, although he will be holding onto the most cherished ornaments and hanging out with friends on Christmas Day.
And despite not celebrating himself, he wished everybody else "an enjoyable Christmas".
Dusty said he did not want to be identified because he "did not want the story to be about [him]".
Topics: charities-and-community-organisations, food-and-cooking, christmas, family, human-interest, darwin-0800
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