Humankind

A touching story of how much people will help out

In this world full of bad news, it's good to occasionally hear of random acts of kindness. This case starts sadly, with the death of 53 year old Ken, from stomach cancer. Ken leaves behind a wife and two children in their late teens and early 20. Ken was a long serving member of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB), well known around the northern suburbs in which he worked. Ken always worked the Christmas Day shift, and when the station was quiet, he'd go out and take local kids for a spin in the fire engine on Christmas afternoon.

When Ken became too ill to work, he had not quite reached a significant service milestone, and getting there would have significantly increased his superannuation benefits. Knowing this, many others at the station contributed annual leave to Ken from their own entitlements. Ken used this leave during his last illness, which took him up to the level where he was entitled to the increased super. He officially retired from the MFB two weeks before his death. While Ken's widow and family are desperately grieving, they are at least spared the anxiety of financial insecurity, thanks to the generosity of Ken's colleagues.