I am 87 years old and dying so I’m making videos about my life
Kevin McNamara is a life coach, author and founder of Get Out Your Comfort Zone, where he inspires people each day to get out of their comfort zones. He is also the creator, producer and co-star of Driving Miss Ivy.
The life of Ivy
My mum, Eileen McNamara, (affectionately known as Ivy) was born in London on 29th May, 1929. She worked as a bus conductor on the London double-decker buses where she met dad.
In 1962 mum, dad, my two brothers and older sister, set sail to Australia from Southampton. It was tough for mum leaving her family but dad was someone who liked a challenge and had no hesitation in heading to a country he knew very little about.
Mum was sea sick most of the way and then on arriving in Australia was blown away by the heat! Not a fun time in the beginning for mum whereas us kids loved the beaches and the heat and the fun!
We spent most of our lives living in Melbourne, Victoria. Soon the family had grown to seven children. A good Catholic family!
Ivy at 18 months.
Miss Ivy moves to Queensland
Around 25 years ago mum upped stumps and moved to sunny Queensland. Dad and mum had divorced a few years earlier and she was looking for a new challenge. She had grown to love the heat and the fact that my elder sister, Linda, and one of my younger brothers, Andrew, had just moved there fuelled her move north.
I had spent 20 years in the Police Force down in Melbourne before moving to the Gold Coast with my partner back in 2011. A transfer in my job led me to Cairns until 2016 when I moved back down to the Gold Coast.
The reason for the move back had a lot to do with mum. She had sadly been diagnosed with inoperable cancer in late 2015 and was living in an aged care facility in Tweed Heads South.
My partner Joy and I had moved to Coolangatta, because one, I would be closer to mum and see a lot more of her and two, Coolangatta is a beautiful place and we both love the ocean.
In late 2015 I had actually recorded some videos of mum where I would ask her questions about her life as a keepsake for years to come. This is where the seed of Driving Miss Ivy came from
Driving Miss Ivy is born
When I moved back to the Gold Coast I thought how could I make some more memories of mum? I started taking mum out for morning tea every Wednesday and on about the second of our Wednesdays I just pulled the car over and started doing a “Mum’s Pearl’s of Wisdom” video. I just started recording and asking questions and then put it on Facebook.
It has since morphed into Driving Miss Ivy with her own Facebook page. We even have a Q&A session now where mum answers viewer’s questions. She really does inspire so many people!
Driving Miss Ivy is about having fun and inspiring others. Seeing mum doing this stuff at 87 can’t help but inspire you.
Family and friends absolutely love watching the episodes! They can’t wait for each Wednesday when I download the day’s episode on Facebook. Mum doesn’t quite understand all the fuss but she loves talking in front of the camera now and saying hi to everyone. She has put on weight and seems more alert and alive than ever.
Ivy recently celebrated her 87th birthday. Here she is with a birthday card from her sister Betty, and family, in the UK.
The memories will live on
I think having a lasting memory of our loved ones is so important as we can quickly forget little quirks and foibles about them, plus, we can have our own little keepsake of what made us laugh and what made us cry. Photos are great but with video it is even easier these days to create memories that are unforgettable.
I don’t know how long mum will be with us but I intend making the most of everyday we have with her. Driving Miss Ivy will be a lasting memory for all her family and friends to cherish.
Find more of Ivy's inspirational videos at Driving Miss Ivy on Facebook.
Related links:
My Tuesdays with Lewis: reflections from a new grandparent
How gardening kept my father young
I made a movie about my grandmother who has dementia