Pride of Guernsey: Gary Murchie
FIVE-year-old Lily Vivyan has nominated her grandfather, Gary, for the Channel Islands Co-operative Society-sponsored Grandparent/s of the Year award.
Gary Murchie, 58, looks after Lily after school while her parents are at work as well as in the mornings during summer holidays.
Lily, who attends Blanchelande School, said: ‘My Popa is my hero. He looks after me when my parents are working and has done since I was three months old.
‘He will always do what I would like to do and go where I would like to go so every day is an adventure. I love him very much.’
In the last five years, Gary has twice survived an aggressive form of prostate cancer, fallen off a roof and now has limited use of one arm. He has recently come out of hospital after an operation on his hand.
Gary retired early from work due to illness. He said: ‘Looking after Lily is like a full-time job sometimes. It keeps me young.’
Gary said he has a very close relationship with Lily, his only grandchild.
He added: ‘She is a cheeky monkey and brilliant.’
