Rob Dickson was my mate. But then, he was a mate to a lot of people. Everyone loved him. At school (and beyond), he had an ability to make me feel valued, special and connected - to him. But in truth, I wasn’t special, he was, because he made everyone feel the same. It was a gift. He was a gift. He had an undeniable energy that people wanted to be around. He was simultaneously charismatic, creative, cheeky, annoying, hilarious and undeniable. He got away with sh*t that I still can’t comprehend. After school, he went on to become a helicopter pilot (at the age of 17) working for the NSCA, an AFL player (Hawthorn and Brisbane), the winner of ‘Survivor Australia’ season 1, an incredible film maker (with his brother, Pete) and most importantly, a loving husband and dad. Tragically, Rob and his two boys passed away in 2009 as the result of a car accident, leaving his beautiful wife Dusty without her husband or children (a pain I can’t even begin to comprehend). I know it seems like this chat with Pete Dickson might be super-sad but it’s not. It’s thoughtful, uplifting, insightful, funny and at times, emotional. It’s not always easy talking about death, trauma and grief but these conversations also present an opportunity to talk about healing, vulnerability, communication and love. Enjoy. *Pete’s book about Rob, ‘He Was My Brother’, is out now via his website (public launch soon).
