Former Actress Dedicates Award for Exceptional Courage to her Exceptional Mom

On the 8th Jan 2016, I received the following letter from Dawn Lindberg, the Executive Director of the South African Naledi Theatre Awards:

Dearest Gaynor, Congratulations on being chosen to be an ABSA ‘PROSPER‘ AMBASSADOR!
The timing co-incides with our Executive Decision to give you a SPECIAL NALEDI THEATRE AWARD this year, at the 2016 Awards…

We haven’t decided on the “official name” for the Award yet, but as NALEDI means Shining Star, it has been suggested that we name it :

The SHOOTING STAR NALEDI AWARD for individuals in the Industry who have displayed exceptional courage, strength and personal achievement in the face of huge challenges.

The first recipient (if you agree to accept of course!) will be GAYNOR YOUNG!! (nominated by myself and unanimously endorsed by the Board and Executive!)…

So, darling Gaynor, I require the following ASAP: …Photos of yourself from when you were a child, to singing and dancing BEFORE the accident, in Camelot costume if possible, and then a selection AFTER the acccident to the PRESENT, including the cover of your book “My Plunge to Fame” (if you have it)….

we’d also like to fly your mum up with you to witness this honour.
The Event (and of course you!) will be shown on NATIONAL TV3 soon after the Awards….probably in May…
I DO HOPE YOU ARE AS EXCITED AS I AM ABOUT THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD, DARLING GAYNOR!

LOVE, DAWN Xxx

PS: THIS IS ALL HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AT THIS STAGE, SO PLEASE KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!!

I was, to put it mildly, totally astounded.

Me! Receiving a Naledi Award! And, I had to keep this wonderful happening a secret.This was not an easy thing to do!

The 19th April finally arrived and it was everything that I hoped it would be.

What made it so wonderful was that my family was with me. How I missed Megan in New Zealands!

Mums looked so beautiful. She just smiled and smiled. I wish that you had all been there to sample some of my delight in that magical evening.

Receiving my award, I said a few words. These, I can definitely share with you!

Receiving this award is better than getting an Oscar! An Oscar is awarded to actors for their performance. I have been awarded this for so much more. All I can say is that I am honoured and incredibly humbled.

I have always been surrounded by love. Before I had my fall, I was a person that gloried in life because I was loved. After my accident, I still glory in life because of love.

My family has always shown me such incredible love, care, encouragement and support. I would not be here today if it wasn’t for that wonderful family of mine.

And you, my friends have always been there for me. When I had my fall, I was convinced that I would lose my friends. There was no ways that they would have the patience to deal with this person who could no longer talk, walk or hear.

You have all proved to me how wrong I was. I have learned that friendship is not made up by what you can and cannot do. It is rather about mutually giving and receiving.

I would like to share this award with someone without whom I wouldn’t be here today – My Mother.

On the day that I was leaving the hospital, the doctor turned to Mum and said: “If Gaynor were my daughter, I would put her in an institution and forget about her. She is never going to be able to do anything but lie on her bed and stare mindlessly at the ceiling as she’s doing now.”

Without her determination, her stubbornness, her love, her realistic practicality, very possibly I would still be lying there in that bed staring vacantly up at the ceiling.

So, Mums, this award is yours too. Thank you!

And thank you all for encouraging my dreams to catch light, flare up and burn unceasingly!

This post originally appeared on Gaynor Young’s blog ‘Ear ‘Ear, and is republished here with her kind permission.