They say that life is too short, but it never really hits home until somebody you love and care for passes.

My Dad, Steve, suddenly passed away last week at the age of 63, marking an end of an era for our family of sorts, however his legacy and traits will live on through myself, plus my brothers Aaron and Anthony.

Our parents got us involved in motorcycle racing at a very young age, even before I can truly remember, introducing us to a sport that would keep us close throughout the duration of Dad’s life and very likely the rest of ours to come.

Dad never competed on motorcycles, instead coming from a Speedway car racing background when he was younger, but his dedication to bike racing (particularly Ducatis) meant he had known and forgotten more about the sport than many will ever learn.

Luckily for us, much of Dad’s wisdom was shared with us three boys, with Dad and Mum teaching us the ropes and then sticking by our sides in any decisions we have ever made in life along the way.

Dad taught my brothers and I how to ride, respect others, work on bikes, and so much more, but never pressuring us into the sport one bit – just showing us how good it is and then letting us decide for ourselves.

While Anthony and Aaron had a high interest in Motocross from the start, I wasn’t so sure it was what I wanted to do. Despite that, I used to enter the races and go to them, sometimes opting to go play with my mates rather than race for the day. Dad or Mum didn’t mind one bit.

But that all changed once I discovered road racing for Juniors in Australia. I pestered my parents for a Moriwaki 80 until they got me one, and from that point Dad and I formed an even closer bond that saw us travelling the nation going to races.

In fact, we ended up travelling to America during my racing career many times as well, Dad and Mum coming to our races many time, proud of the way that their sons could steer motorcycles.

It would always surprise me, the feedback that Dad could give simply by watching from the sidelines, studying every move we made and then explaining what minor changes we could improve upon to go one better each time out on the bike.

Some say talent is a natural gift (something many say about Anthony), but the way I look at it is that you learn a lot at a young age and then it expands from there. It’s all about patience from those who are guiding you, which our parents must have had plenty of when bringing up three boys in a racing family – gradually teaching us a way of life and then accepting any decisions we’ve made from that point on.

When I decided that road racing wasn’t what I wanted to do any longer, instead choosing to chase a career in journalism back in Australia, my parents were as accepting as ever, instilling the belief in me that I could make the transition from racer to journo.

The feedback was also there from Dad just like it was in racing, always worth listening to from a guy who had been a fan of motorcycles and racing for countless years.

Motorcycles haven’t only given us the chance to be a close family, but have also enabled us to meet friends throughout the industry who are regarded as great friends and people.

Dad was always one to spark up friendships with many of these people, always giving generous time to people whether they were deeply involved in the sport or just regular race fans.

I couldn’t tell you how many times in my travel that I’ve had individuals from all over the world ask how the old man’s going.

There’s no doubt that we’ll miss him, think about him every day and thank him for everything he’s done for us, but his death has also given us the opportunity to reflect on his life and see that he had a great one via pictures and stories that many have shared in recent days.

The support has been overwhelming so far with well over 150 people contacting me via Facebook alone, while Azza and Mum’s phones have been constantly ringing. We thank every single one of you for having us in your thoughts during this time.

But most of all, thanks again to Dad – we couldn’t have been where we are today without you mate.

Funeral Notice:
Dad’s funeral will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Leppington, New South Wales, on Thursday, 28 January 2010 at 2:30pm. More details will be advised shortly.