Michael Christie speaks at Hawks Nest Tea Gardens

Every now and then, someone crosses our path, not as a coincidence but for a worthwhile reason. This happened to Ann Scully at Myall Coast News last Saturday when I spoke with Michael Christie, father of coward punch victim, Daniel Christie who was seriously assaulted in Sydney on New Year’s Eve 2013.

Daniel, aged 18, was treated at the scene by ambulance paramedics before being taken to St Vincent’s Hospital with serious head injuries where he fought for his life for eleven long days before he passed away after his life support was switched off on Saturday, 11 January 2014.

A twenty five year old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Kings Cross Station.

On 13 January, 2014 detectives from Kings Cross Local Area Command laid an additional charge of murder on a twenty five year old man who has also been charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault-related offences.

Michael Christie wants to make a difference in our small community at the Myall Coast.

He is hosting a Drug and Alcohol Violence in the Community Seminar in the Tea Gardens Baptist Church on 11 September commencing at 6.00pm.

“This seminar is designed to promote an ongoing debate regarding the acceptance of alcohol and other drugs in our community which then causes violence in our community,” Michael told me.

Michael also reflected on Daniel’s life, “It became obvious to our intelligent young gentleman that he needed to change his eating and lifestyle habits.

“I used to tell Daniel, ‘If it is to be, it is up to me,’ something that I had learnt and found to be of great value but Daniel took my saying to the next level, his mantra becoming, ‘If change is to be, it is up to me.’

Michael went on to say, “Daniel would want us all to get on with our lives, without adding the extra burden or carrying any negative feelings like hate and revenge.”

Meeting Michael Christie has highlighted to me the importance of tolerance, persistence, acceptance and love.
I congratulate Michael on his bravery in pursuing this ongoing debate after his loving son Daniel was taken from him in a cruel act of cowardly violence.