Around the world Christmas trees are decorated, coloured lights adorn houses and shopping malls, and the sound of carols float through the air…air that is thick with the sounds of excitement and expectations of the children. If you can remember the feeling, there is nothing quite like it. All year you look forward to this time of wonderful surprises, toys, gourmet foods and visits from adoring grandparents. In Australia it is glorious beach weather, white zinc noses, convoys of vehicles moving up the northern coastal roads; a time for roast turkey, Christmas pudding, bowls of mixed nuts, stubbies, and of course the familiar sounds of Michael and INXS rocking on the airwaves. In Northern Europe and North America it is sleigh bells, snowmen and the traditional Christmas meal around a crackling fire. I guess for some Christmas isn’t this idealistic. It may be more to do with struggling against loneliness and depression, isolation from family and friends. To you we send our love and warmest greetings and say never give up.

But isn’t this festive season made that much sweeter by children? Children who innocently shrug their shoulders at the days gone by and have no fear of the days to come. After all, this is Christmas, a time for joy, love and peace. Isn’t it heart warming to know that despite all we have experienced and felt over the past five years since Michael left, that a precious little girl in England will be playing fun games with her sisters?

I helped Kell and Susie edit their family video’s after their last trip to England and saw this fun-loving little girl rolling around the floor with infectious giggles. There was so much healing in that child-like laughter for Kell. He left us with a broken body that did not heal, but his spirit and his heart were in very great shape. He spoke to us of a pleasant expectancy, like a young child about to cross over into the true world of Christmas where love, joy and peace never end.

No wonder over 2,000 years ago on that first Christmas night, the Angels were so pumped about bringing such great news to a hurting world. It remains a story of forgiveness, of second and third chances, of new beginings and of eternal hope. “Glory be to God in heaven, and on earth, peace among men” was the opener on their first live outdoor gig, somewhere in a Woodstock-like field near Bethlehem. So to complete our year, 2002, we at www.michaelhutchence.org wish you love, joy and peace this Christmas and for the year to come, good health and blessings. Our prayers are with you, wherever you are, and also for Michael’s family who are still feeling great loss. In particular at this time our thoughts are for Susie, Croy (Kell’s sister), Rhett and Tina, and for little Tiger, “heaven sent”, and for her dear Granddaddy, heaven bound. Merry Christmas!

Lots of love from Susie, Ian, Mario, Jacqueline and Ange.

It is with immense grief and deep sorrow that I announce the passing of an amazing person and our dearest friend, Kelland Hutchence, Michael’s adoring Dad, who lost a battle with cancer today, Thursday 12th December, 2002 at 6:35 pm, Sydney time.

Please pray for his dear wife Susie, his son Rhett whom he loved so well, Tina whom he never stopped loving, and his dear grand children, including precious Tiger who will always have fond childhood memories of times with her precious Grand Daddio.

God give him eternal peace and rest.

Love and Peace to you all, Ian.
(Susie, Rhett, Mario, Ange and Jacqui join me in this expression of gratitude for all of your prayers and kind words of love.)

Kelland’s funeral will take place on Tuesday 17th December at 1:30 pm in the small chapel of St Columba’s Church in Lane Cove, in Sydney’s northern suburbs. The Chapel, built on the original site of the old church where Kelland first attended Sunday School 76 years ago, is a place rich in happy memories for Kelland and his older sister Croy who survives him. He and Croy scattered their Grandmothers’ ashes in the gardens surrounding the Chapel many years ago.

“We are all currently in a time of mourning and will be back sometime in the near future with news of Kell’s send off.
Ian, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari

Everyone is saying, “Five years I can’t believe it”. But the world has changed forever since Michael left it. It is like sorrows have fallen upon sorrows and the “love and peace days” have fallen into “hate and war”.

And oh how many have fallen since. One can only look to the hope of God and the endurance of the human spirit to make sense of it all. But what has come through the grief and pain of losing Michael is a realization of the absolute preciousness of the irreplaceable. Michael’s spirit was unique so was his artistry. His presence in the world seemed to make it that much more of an interesting place. How little he understood the extent to which he was treasured by so many. Yet we do have precious memories that can never be taken from us. Memories of his impish exploits, his boyish charm, his tender moments with family, friends and fans, his robust energy as a great rock and roll performer, the beautiful nuances and individual creative expressions adorning his songs and his unique warm vocal timbre that could rise from the whisper of “Come over here” to the energy of “Girl on fire!”. Through it all we have learnt about the preciousness of life, the adoration for God-given talent, the amazing ability of the human heart to go on, the tragic nature of human loss, and the hope and joy brought into the world by his innocent and adorably-cute offspring.

So today is perhaps a time for quiet reflection, a time to honor Michael’s amazing life achievements, to pray for his little girl, Tiger, and to pray for comfort and peace for his family. Hey and it’s a time to hear once again Michael’s victory cry of “Here we go!” over the din of the crowd and the opening riffs of “Guns in the Sky” at Wembley Arena on that amazing day. So turn on and turn up… and live, Baby, live, because Michael Kelland Hutchence can always “Stay Young” in our hearts and minds.

Dennis Ian Patterson, 22nd November, 2002

At 3:00 pm on Saturday, 23rd November.

Family and friends will gather around Michael’s Memorial Stone at Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens in Delhi Road, North Ryde, Sydney, Australia for a time of reflection and to mark the 5th anniversary of Michael’s passing. The gathering will take place at 3:00 pm on Saturday, 23rd November.

A low key gathering for those interested will complete the day at around 7.30 pm at the Hard Rock Café, Crown Street, Darlinghurst. All are welcome to attend.

Please contact Dennis or Ange if more information is needed.

INXS released today their first new album in Australia since “Elegantly Wasted”.

The INXS 1977-1997 compilation from past singles and albums, as well as new never-before-released material, will be a welcomed addition to all of Michael’s Australian fans.

The Sunday Telegraph ran a large picture of Michael on their front page glossy magazine with a four page story within by INXS on life with and without Michael.

The Telegraph also in another section reported the visit of Bob Geldof with Kell and Susie at their Sydney apartment. It is wonderful to see the ties that have been developed by Kell and Susie for Tiger’s sake.

Bali has long been a haven and refuge for millions of Australians who have visited it over the years. Michael and his family have regularly taken solace there. Kell, Susie and Tiger recently took a holiday in Bali. Kylie was there at the same time. How hideous it is that evil people in the name of who knows what twisted cause, can so quickly turn a paradise on earth into a living hell. The agony of losing loved ones, the pain of sustaining horrific injuries, the deep trauma of experiencing such a violent and devastating act will be cemented in the memories of many Australians for a long time to come. We at www.michaelhutchence.org including Kell and Susie Hutchence, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari, and Dennis Patterson wish to extend on behalf of all of Michael’s family, friends and fans, our deepest sympathy and heart-felt prayers to all of those thousands of people who have been directly and indirectly grieved by the Bali bombings. We know that over 80% of casualties and fatalities were Australians, but people from all over the world lost their precious lives that day.

Michael’s concerns for peace in the region can be dated back to the East Timor struggles of the early 80’s. He and Richard Lowenstein even had a protest poster displayed in the house as a back drop in the film “Dogs in Space”. How the world is changing and how the frequent words of Michael Hutchence ring loud and clear. More than ever it is time to pray for “Love and Peace” to prevail over hatred and war.

Once again Michael’s birthday is here and it’s his 42nd on the 22nd January 2002. Its hard to imagine that four years have passed since Mike left us… we miss him heaps and his music lives on.

Mike’s birthday will be celebrated on Saturday 26th January 2002 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Sydney starting at 8pm ­ the address is 121 Crown St, Darlinghurst (parking available at the rear) and all friends and fans are welcome. For reservations email me on ange@michaelhutchence.org or phone me on 0414 554 122.

Another party will be held in New York, here are the details:
Saturday Jan 26
Barramundi – 147 Ludlow (just below Houston)
8pm – ?? (bar closes at 4am)
Contact Kris (with a K)