Sheryl Mulvey, a grandmother from Queensland, is haunted by the memories of a day that should have been filled with love and remembrance but was instead marked by isolation and loss.
In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheryl was forced into hotel quarantine and was unable to attend her grandson Gage Hepburn’s funeral, a tragedy that has left an indelible mark on her heart. As she reflects on the recent findings of the Commonwealth’s independent COVID-19 inquiry in a Courier Mail interview, Sheryl’s pain and trauma are palpable.
Gage, just 24 years old, died unexpectedly, leaving his family in shock. Sheryl, who had been living in Victoria at the time, was given permission to travel to Townsville for the funeral. However, strict quarantine rules meant she was confined to her hotel room and had to watch the service online.
“I still have nightmares over it,” Sheryl shared, her voice trembling with emotion. “It’s on my mind all day, every day. I go out there and sit with him at the cemetery, and I just sit there and apologise for not being able to be there for him.”
The inquiry, which examined the long-term effects of Australia’s pandemic response, highlighted the erosion of public trust in authorities, a sentiment echoed by Sheryl. The report noted that while the government made “courageous decisions” in the early days of the crisis, cracks began to show as communication faltered and public confidence waned.
The findings resonated with Sheryl, who has found it increasingly difficult to trust the government since the loss of her grandson. “I don’t trust our government,” she stated unequivocally. “I have no trust in any authoritative thing that you used to rely on.”
The trauma of Gage’s funeral has not only affected Sheryl emotionally but has also reshaped her interactions with others. “I find I just lock myself in. I don’t want to talk to people. I’ve become very anti-social. I don’t trust anyone,” she admitted.
This deep sense of isolation reflects the broader impacts outlined in the inquiry, which recommended a renewed focus on mental health and community well-being in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Sheryl vividly recalls the heartbreaking day of the funeral. “Watching my daughters and my whole family there, and I couldn’t grieve with them. It was devastating,” she recounted.
The emotional toll of being separated from her family during such a critical moment was exacerbated by an encounter with a nurse during her quarantine, who offered to send someone to sit with her while she grieved.
“How dare you. Why would I want someone I’ve never seen before or don’t know sitting with me while I am grieving my grandson?” Sheryl’s incredulity encapsulates the frustration many felt during the pandemic when personal connections were stripped away.
The inquiry’s findings also noted that the restrictions imposed during the pandemic were often poorly justified and inconsistently applied. Sheryl’s experience serves as a painful example of how these policies impacted real lives.
“It made what was already a difficult time even worse,” she reflected, highlighting the profound disconnect between government decisions and the human experiences they affected.
As the inquiry emphasises the need for better preparedness for future health crises, Sheryl’s story reminds us of the personal tragedies that lie behind the statistics. Her grief over Gage’s death, compounded by the inability to be with her family, speaks to a larger issue of trust and human rights that must be addressed as Australia moves forward.
Sheryl continues to visit Gage’s gravesite, a routine that offers her a semblance of peace amid her ongoing sorrow. “I just sit there and apologise for not being able to be with his mum and his sisters and family,” she shares, a poignant reminder of the lasting impact of grief and the need for compassion in times of crisis.
