At gybe, we inspire Australians to do the work they love and pursue their dreams.
One of the excuses (read fears) that people have is that they are too old to do something new. They don’t have long until retirement. They’re too old to study again. They can’t possibly start something new at their age.
Today, I want to share some stories of inspiring older Australians who show us that you’re never too old to make a difference.
Fred Hyde is the Queensland Senior Australian of the year and a finalist for Senior Australian of the Year 2015. He is 94 years old. Fred has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to educating abandoned children in Bangladesh. In the past 15 years (since he was 79 years old), Fred has built 45 schools, five kindergartens and teacher training facilities for 165 teachers. He currently has 12,000 children attending ‘Co-operation in Development’ schools in Bangladesh.
Laurie Baymarrwangga was an Aboriginal community leader and elder who was awarded Senior Australian of the Year 2012. Laurie passed away in August 2014 at the age of 98. She had a lifetime of inspirational achievements. In her mid 70s, she started the Yan-nhaŋu dictionary project to record and share her language.
In 2010, whilst Laurie was in her mid 90s, she finally received back payments for rents owed to her as the owner of her father's estate—after 65 years of pursuing it.
She donated it all, approximately $400,000, to improve education and employment opportunities on Crocodile Island and to establish a 1,000 square kilometre turtle sanctuary on her marine estate.
Or Aldo Crotti, OAM. In 2007, he was the South Australian finalist for Australian of the Year. Aldo built his family business, San Remo pasta, over more than 60 years into a major 100% Australian-owned company that continues to employ over 400 people. In his ‘spare time’, he established his own vineyard, Aldo’s Block in Adelaide’s McLaren Vale region.
Aldo was also an active philantrophist who, in his mid 80s, was working every day. Aldo passed away in 2008 and the Crotti family continue to run the San Remo business.
There are many more stories like these—amazing Australians who have achieved outstanding things later in life.
So, are you really too old to start something new?
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