Kevin Humphreys is an ex-Army Officer, rescue helicopter pilot and now mental health ambassador determined to make a difference and provide dignity and respect to the families of those who have served Australia. His energies are channelled through Cor Infinitus, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to Australians who served and sadly, took their own lives.
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simple message of hope and help. That is the genesis of Cor Infinitus—a term that translates to ‘Infinite Courage’ but simply means the love, strength and courage needed to speak one’s mind or to reveal your heart following a terrible loss. Cor Infinitus is a registered charity dedicated to Australians who served our nation but then, tragically, took their own lives. It’s a silent crisis that resonated deeply with Kevin Humphreys DSC, Executive Director of Cor Infinitus. Kevin is an ex-Army Officer, rescue helicopter pilot and now mental health ambassador who spent 20 years flying Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters for the Australian Army. With the trauma of front-line experiences and highly dangerous and sometimes lifethreatening situations, came posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Kevin has battled his own mental demons, stood on the precipice and almost ended his life. On Anzac Day 2020, whilst at the Townsville Cenotaph quietly reflecting on his own life and
those of generations before, there was a sudden realisation: “This is terrible—we can do better than this. Indeed, we must do better than this. Surely, Australians who have served and suffered and felt so terribly traumatised that they choose to take their life, deserve more? As do their families and friends”. The ‘raison d’être’ for Cor Infinitus and the gentle passion Kevin exudes is simple. “I wanted to provide dignity and respect to those that served our great nation and had taken their own life,” he explains. “I wanted to establish a memorial not just for them but more importantly, to give their families and loved ones that same dignity and respect, as well as a tangible place of connection and reflection”. Sadly, veterans are disproportionately affected by mental health issues and overrepresented in suicide records. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) observed
in all five independent suicide monitoring reports that ex-serving ADF members are at a higher risk of death by suicide than the general population. AIHW also noted that after more than 20 years of fighting in Afghanistan, 46 Australians died through service, however, for a similar period between 1997-2020, more than 1,600 serving and exserving ADF personnel died by suicide. The sheer magnitude of the mental health issues confronting veterans was recognised when on 8 July 2021, the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), established the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. On 11 August 2022, the Commissioners delivered the ‘Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Interim Report’ to the Governor-General with a series of recommendations about urgent and immediate issues to be addressed. Around this time, Kevin commenced a journey to establish a memorial that was not representative of any
Kevin Humphreys, DSC, Executive Director of Cor Infinitus, delivers an emotional and touching speech. photographer Darren Larkman Film & Photo
NOVEMBER 2023-24 REMEMBRANCE
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