OFF THE WIRE
Southern Cross riders
BY: Bruce Mckean
Source: Daily Mercury
Southern Cross Motorcycle Club past president Bevan Teys has died aged 56. He was a tireless fundraiser for sick children.
BEVEN Teys was a kind and charitable man who used his love of motorcycles to raise tens of thousands of dollars for sick children.
He was also very brave, having suffered life-threatening injuries in a horrific crash in 2003 that resulted in his right leg being amputated.
Mr Teys, of Louisa Creek, died aged 56 on Christmas Eve after a long illness. His cremation service will be held today.
“The world has lost a good man,” his daughter Leesha said yesterday.
“He'd do anything for his family, even when he was sick.
“He was a very good father who took me on a motorcycle trip to a town near Adelaide for a Ulysses motorcycle club rally years ago. We rode all the way there and back with about six or so other riders from Mackay. How many daughters can say they've done that with their dad?
“He loved fundraising for sick kids and he was very happy when he was doing it.”
Mr Teys suffered a type of dementia over the last 12 months and became forgetful.
“But he still spoke about how he used to help the little kids,” his daughter said.
“You could see how proud he was when he was helping the children.”
Mr Teys was a past president of the Southern Cross Motorcycle Club, a group that conducts annual charity runs to raise money for children with spina bifida.
During his term as president he went on numerous charity rides throughout Queensland and Australia.
A tireless fundraiser, he had his leg amputated following a motorcycle accident in July 2003, which occurred while he was returning to Mackay from a fundraising event in Bowen.
He overcame his life-threatening injuries and took up motorcycle riding again, adapting to a three-wheel trike.
After his accident he resigned as president of Southern Cross but continued fundraising, even going on a trip to Clermont, Barcaldine, Winton, Mt Isa, Hughenden, Townsville and Mackay in September 2006.
Mr Teys had worked for Queensland Rail since 1979. His daughter said he was still able to physically drive trains after his accident but he was unable to complete the theoretical examinations and his employment eventually ceased.
He had the full support of his fellow Southern Cross riders, his family and friends and his QR workmates during the long ordeal of his accident and recovery.
His sister Nola said yesterday: “He was a beautiful man. It's a sad moment for the family but he is at peace now.”
Mr Teys had two sisters and two brothers and was the father of three children.
The cremation service will be held at 2.30pm today at the Ian Philips Crematorium in Malin Road, Sarina. Floral tributes are optional and the family has asked that donations in lieu be made to the Variety Club of Australia.
