Town rallies for truckie

By Sarah Schwager
THE death of a local truck driver last Friday has rocked the community of Pearcedale as well as raised the issue of men’s health.
Chris Macdermid was driving his truck on the Monash Freeway on 18 September when he suffered a heart attack, pulling over just in time.
He was put on life support but had to be taken off and died five days later on Friday.
The guard of honour at his funeral at St Michael’s Church in Berwick on Monday went right to the bottom of the road as hundreds packed the church.
Close friend Wendy, who lives in Pakenham, is now trying to raise money for Mr Macdermid’s family after he left behind his wife Tanya Simpson and five-year-old son Jack.
“I’m a truck driver as well. He didn’t have any life insurance or anything like that. We just don’t think like that,” she said.
“Now Tanya has a mortgage to pay and a son to look after and on a part-time wage. Plus she’s just lost her husband. I don’t know how she’s going to cope.”
Wendy said she had written letters to local supermarkets asking for food donations and was trying to get support from the wider community.
“The Pearcedale community has already been absolutely wonderful. They have shown so much support for Tanya and little Jack,” she said.
Mr Macdermid, 50, was driving his truck along the Monash about 2.30pm when he had to pull over between Jacksons and Wellington roads.
He had called his boss at TNT Express who was driving the other way to say he did not feel well and had to pull over.
Another mate following closely behind pulled up but by the time he got there Mr Macdermid had stopped breathing.
The mate started CPR and when paramedics arrived they worked on him for 45 minutes before he was put on life support.
Wendy said Mr Macdermid had been complaining of leg pains for some weeks.
She said the pain in his leg, which was believed to be a blood clot, had moved to his shoulder days before he died.
“I don’t know if maybe he’d still be alive if he had gone to a doctor for the pain in his leg,” Wendy said.
“His boss kept saying he should have the week off work but he was such a hard worker he’d just say ‘nah, I’m right’.”
“Men just so often don’t go and get their health problems checked out. It was just such an unnecessary loss.
“Touch wood that he wasn’t involved in an accident. I don’t know how many people he would’ve taken out if he hadn’t pulled over in time.”
Wendy said Mr Macdermid was a “real man’s man”.
The Carlton footy fan and Ford enthusiast was also a strong supporter of the Pearcedale Football Club.
She said for that reason it was a great surprise to everyone at the funeral to find out he had previously worked not only as a vacuum cleaner salesman but also as an apprentice hairdresser.
“Everyone was in tears of laughter when they heard that,” she said.
Wendy urged locals to help out the devastated family.
“I’d really like to see if I can get at least some food donations for them,” she said.
“But it would be really nice to organise a holiday to Dreamworld for them or something. They’ve never been there and it would be a good chance for Jack to have some one-on-one time with his mum and for them to get away from everything.”
Anyone who wants to donate can contact the Cranbourne News on 5945 0666.