Nanny’s gift of love
HOLIDAY FOR KIDS WHO LOST MUM
A FORMER nanny who stepped u up to care for a family of Torquay children who lost their mother last year has surprised them with a holiday to Queensland. Freshwater Creek resident Brittany Draper was selected at random to win a family holiday to the Gold Coast in Run Geelong’s early bird registration competition and t there is no doubt in her mind who sh she wants to take. About three years ago Ms Draper was hired on a Surf Coast bab babysitters’ website by Cafe Moby own owner Vanessa Owen to help care for her three children Poppy, Archer and Ryder. Ms Draper became a clos close friend of the family, working for Ms Owen and husband Chris as they welcomed their youngest child Bonnie in 2016. The devoted nanny was at one point juggling the job while living and studying in Melbourne but quickly returned home in December after the 39-year-old mother of four died from a suspected brain aneurysm. The youngest, Bonnie, was just three months old. “I formed a good friendship with Ness. The only thing to do in my mind was to be there for them,” Ms Draper said. “I knew how the house ran, I was the easiest person to step up into that carer, organiser role.” Ms Draper worked for the family until she landed a full-time job in July but continues to see the children regularly. She decided to enter them all in Run Geelong for a fun day out, not realising there was a prize up for grabs for early entrants. “At first I thought it was a hoax email,” Ms Draper said. “It said ‘you’ve won this prize’ but I didn’t know what the competition was and had to go check the website to see if it was real ... I even called Run Geelong to check.”
The holiday, valued at more than $4000, includes fights and accommodation to the Gold Coast and a VIP pass to Movie World, Sea World and Wet and Wild.
On the first weekend in November the two oldest children, Archer, 8, and Poppy, 5, will join Ms Draper and her mother on the Gold Coast getaway.
“They went a couple of years ago with mum and dad so it will be a big thing for them to leave dad but we will get through it. They’re looking forward to all the theme parks,” she said.
Ms Draper will tackle the Run Geelong 6km walk event next month with the children.
This year the event, on November 19, is raising funds for Barwon Health’s paediatric rehabilitation services.