This is the last day of 2008... in fact, here in Israel it's going to end in a little over an hour. I can't say that I'm sad to see it ending, because it's been a very hard year for me. I don't even remember the first three weeks of 2008, I only know that on January 22 the world had turned upside down for me. If you ask me what happened this year I have only one thing to say: we lost Heath. And losing him is what this year was about to me.
I was going through the articles and the tributes that I printed over this year, and I came across the voice mail that Heath left for an Australian editor exactly a year ago, on December 30, 2007, when he came home to Australia to spend Christmas and the New Year with his family. He wanted to thank the Australian press for respecting his privacy during that visit.
"I don't know whether it's a conscious thing or an unconscious thing, giving me space and respecting my privacy. It's just been awesome, and I've had the most beautiful time back here and being able to see all my friends and family, let alone the press and the people within the community of Perth, it's been so lovely.
"It's really enabled me to be a boy again from home and feel like I'd never left. Like I said, I'm not sure whether it's a conscious decision on the paper's part or not to kind of give me this space, but they have, and I truly, truly thank them for it, and it makes my life a life when I come back here.
"I know you're probably not the man to print this, but you can certainly pass this on to your compatriots, and that's really it, just sending my love and thanks to the city of Perth because it's truly been an incredibly therapeutic and a much-needed trip home, and just that little touch has made it all that more special to me.
"So feel free to use this message as my interview as such, and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and certainly a Happy New Year.
"If I don't speak to you before I leave, I will no doubt be talking to you probably next year when Batman comes out - and Batman goes down in fact.
"Thanks for listening to my longwinded message - like I said, feel free to use it and pass it on to someone who can type it out, and thanks again."
That was the last time Heath was home with his family, and he never got the chance to talk to that editor again, certainly not "next year when Batman comes out". My heart hurts so much when I read these lines because this year he's not here to celebrate the New Year. And this is just not right. It breaks my heart.
:\'(
