Pillars Of Strength Steve & Sheryll's Grand Gestures

Why They Gave Up Everything to Support Their Daughters and Grandchildren

- Julie Jacobson

When Sarah Crawford was diagnosed with leukaemia two days before Christmas, her parents Sheryll and Steve didn’t hesitate. They packed up their lives in Ohakune and moved to Manawatu to help look after her and their oldest grandson, nine-year-old Cade.

That was in 2015. Two weeks ago, they did the same thing again, this time moving to Tauranga to support eldest daughter Kylie-Maree and their other three grandsons after the tragic death of their dad Logan Gemming in a kitesurfing accident.

“They are the most supportive, amazing, loving parents and grandparents that anyone could ever ask for,” says Sarah.

It’s that unconditional love and selflessness that has seen the couple deservedly named winners of the Weekly’s Grandparents of the Year − in association with Ryman Healthcare − competition.

Sheryll and Steve met at Fitzherbert Young Farmers Club, Palmerston North, in 1976. The relationship blossomed and they married in 1978. They had Kylie-Maree in 1981 followed by Sarah in 1983.

The early years were a whirlwind of Brownies, music and sports practice – both daughters played netball and hockey, and were competitive swimmers while Sheryll and Steve were instrumental in setting up Manawatu’s Ice Breakers swimming club.

The couple were unaware Sarah had nominated them for the national award until she told them they had won.

“Dad’s a very humble man,” tells Sarah. “So when I mentioned it to him, he said, ‘Oh, thank you very much’ and off he went. That’s Dad to a tee!”

In her citation, Sarah describes how Sheryll (60) and Steve (64) put all thoughts of themselves aside when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.