Dave and Junpinjg Lavery
More than 100 people packed the lounge at the Perth branch of the Canadian Legion to say, “welcome back, Dave.”
A special gathering honouring Dave Lavery was held.
Lavery shared details of his ordeal, being held for 77 days by the Taliban in Afghanistan. You could hear a pin drop as he spoke about being detained at the airport in Kabul and his time in captivity, first in a small cell, then a shared barren villa, and finally under house arrest in his own villa.
Many had tears in their eyes as he described what his family was going through – his prime concern. Those tears returned when he spoke of being reunited with his wife and son in Qatar after a flight from Afghanistan that seemed to be too good to be true.
Lavery was touched by how many people turned out to welcome him back to Perth, his home for 30 years.
Lavery co-founded the Perth Polar Bear Plunge 31 years ago. Alfred Von Mirbach, a long-time friend of Dave and long-time plunger, put the event together.
For Lavery, Sunday’s gathering was much more than just a welcome home.
Lavery is slowing his work on the other side of the globe for now, but will remain active. He says he’ll delegate more.
Also in the future, a book about his work rescuing Canadians, their families, and people who worked for or served Canadians, from war-torn countries. It will include the story of his detention.
He’ll be in Perth for another two weeks or so before he returns home to Dubai.
