1952 to April 2015
The ITF is joining those marking the death of Paul Karras, founder of the award-winning, not-for-profit agency Hunterlink Recovery Services, who has died aged 63.
Paul Karras founded and managed Hunterlink, which offers welfare and counselling to seafarers of all nationalities (see http://hunterlink.org.au). Its pioneering work has been applauded and supported by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), ITF and the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, as well as employers and the wider community.
MUA national secretary and ITF president, Paddy Crumlin, remembered Paul Karras as, “A man of deep compassion and humility who dedicated his life tirelessly to the assistance and welfare of others”.
He explained: “Paul was the much admired and respected manager of Hunterlink who was recently diagnosed with a liver disease and although the prognosis was not good, the expectation was that he would be with us for longer.
“Regrettably, it was more aggressive than predicted and Paul’s life has been tragically cut short.
“Over the past four to five years, Paul’s professionalism, his dedication to helping workers and their families and his personal charm have seen Hunterlink grow from a small operation to a national organisation that has commanded respect across all industry stakeholders, and government, and which is now on the cusp of further international expansion.“Paul will be sadly missed by not only by the union and its officials and members, and others in our industry, but particularly by the thousands of people he and Hunterlink have counselled and assisted.
“His personal touch will resonate and remain with them and us for many years to come. Paul's greatest wish, he told me recently, was that his and Hunterlink's work continues.”
Paul Karras’s funeral will take place tomorrow, Friday 10 April in Bonnells Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
A wealth of heartfelt reminiscences from MUA and ITF personnel who knew and worked with Paul can be seen at http://goo.gl/fKfDrl
We invite you to share your memories of Paul by posting them using the purple Post your comment button above.
