It’s just not worth it!
April 30, 2010
Last Sunday was the 18th anniversary of my fathers death. He was one of our Magpie rugby heroes from the famous 1960’s Shield era. He was and is still considered one of New Zealand’s greatest flankers. With 136 first class tries to his name (winger BG Williams scored 137) and 9 test tries you start to get a picture of how good a player he really was. I love it when people come up to me in the street and remind me of the times they went to McLean Park for the Shield games, or when they saw him score that famous try in the wind against the French in 1961. I love it when farmers tell me about Kel the ‘W&K” stock agent who used to visit their farm. Or just the people who stop me in the street to share a story about the way he helped with this or that.
My dad, Kelvin Tremain, died at just 54. He would be 72 today. He was a smoker…a heavy smoker. And cancer was the cause of my dads death.
Some of you may have seen the family photo published in the paper a few weeks ago. There are 17 of us now here in Napier. My dad missed my brothers’ 21st. He missed my wedding, and my two brothers weddings. He missed the birth of his first grandson. He missed the birth of his first grand-daughter. And he missed the birth of eight further grandchildren. He missed his grandsons first rugby game and his grand-daughters first netball game. He’s missed my brothers grow up to be fine men and he’s never known their two amazing wives. My dad has missed one hell of a lot.
This week I was proud to be involved in passing legislation to increase the excise tax on tobacco to reduce smoking, to dissuade young people from starting to smoke, and to improve the health of New Zealanders. Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand.
If you’re a smoker and you don’t want to miss out on what my dad has missed out on stop the habit. And stop it now. I can tell you it’s just not worth it.
Chris Tremain
