The families of defence force personnel need support, whether their loved ones die in combat or after years of service. Nick Bielby looks how Legacy has helped keep a former army peacekeeper’s spirit alive for his young daughter.
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Allegra Mackay’s father still plays a key role in her life, even though it’s been four years since he passed away.
Corporal Robbie Mark Mackay died suddenly from an aneurism, only a few months after he left the army.
He had spent more than 20 years in the armed forces and had served as a peacekeeper in places such as East Timor.
Since Robbie has been gone, charitable organisation Legacy has stepped into Allegra’s life and has kept the spirit of her father alive.
Legacy helps pay for the 11-year-old Cessnock girl’s school fees, uniform, books and the cost of school camps.
When Legacy pays for her educational needs, Allegra thinks of it as her dad helping out.
“Otherwise it wouldn’t be easy,” she said.
Allegra, who lived with her father in an army house in Townsville for about three years before he died, said she was proud of Robbie for serving his country.
“It was scary sometimes,” she said.
“I didn’t know where he was or what he was doing.
“I tried to keep it off my mind.”
During their time in Townsville, Allegra and Robbie enjoyed visiting the beach and going to the rodeo.
But one day after school when Allegra was in
year 2, she found her father only a few hours after he had died.
Because he had left the defence force a few months earlier, Allegra did not qualify for support from the army.
That’s where Legacy came in.
Aside from the financial help, Hunter Legacy volunteers take an active interest in Allegra.
They visit on her birthday and at Christmas and receive a copy of Allegra’s school report cards.
Her mother Rachel Naysmith, who was no longer in a domestic relationship with Robbie when he died, said she contacted Legacy to make sure Allegra’s father had an ongoing presence in her life.
Ms Naysmith described him as a “hands-on kind of dad”.
“He took her to the rodeo, threw her birthday parties, worked in the canteen,” she said.
“It was like her and him against the world.
“I contacted Legacy to fill that void, because I knew I couldn’t.”
For some people, the mention of Legacy conjures images of an organisation that mostly supports elderly war widows and widowers.
The vital support that it offers families with children is sometimes overlooked in the publicity it receives.
Hunter Legacy president Garth Carlson said there were eight wards of Legacy in the region, one of whom was completing tertiary education. He said the organisation helped these young people with school fees, uniforms and books, and had stepped into people’s lives during times of crisis.
Mr Carlson said Legacy had helped two boys, aged 15 and 10, after their father took his own life only a few weeks after returning home.
“That was bad,” he said.
“They had nothing in the fridge. The kids didn’t even have a bed.”
“Therefore we had to go and get a bed, mattress, furniture, food, paid six months of their instalments on their house and electricity until she [the boys’ mother] got a pension.”
Legacy’s major annual fundraising drive was held across Australia this week.
The charity began in 1923, in the ashes of World War I.
Given that 60,000 Australian service men and women lost their lives during The Great War and another 60,000 died in the decade after, it was a way to show support and gratitude to the families of those brave men and women.
More than 90 years later, it still makes a difference to many lives across Australia.
“Around the country, there would be lots of families with children that are linked in with Legacy,” Ms Naysmith said.
“Legacy keeps his spirit alive for her.”
