December 5, 2019

The Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen,

May it please Your Majesty,

With my humble duty, I wish to write to you as I am at a loss of what I should do. Please Your Majesty, let me explain my story before I explain why I wish to contact you.

My name is Fuzzy Maiava, I currently reside in New Zealand, but my past and my story goes to quite a dark place.

On October 7, 2008, I was living a normal life. I was a flight attendant for Qantas, and on this particular day, I was working on QF72 coming from Singapore, heading for Perth.

You see, I loved serving people. I loved meeting new guests on our flights who were coming home from travel or heading to a new and exciting destination.

However, I didn’t know at the time, the job I loved so much was going to change my life forever. Until that plane went plunging for the Indian Ocean. Not only did it fall from the sky, but the fantastic Tech Crew also recovered the aircraft before it headed back for the ocean again.

On that day, I am so thankful Qantas Captain Kevin Sullivan (Ret.), First Officer Peter Lipsett, and Second Officer Ross Hales were in control of that plane. Otherwise, I don’t think I would be alive today. The end result was those brave and heroic men saved all 315 people on that plane.

I understand, this may seem like a distressing story to read, but I have been given no other choice Your Majesty than to call upon you for help.

After that fatal day, not one of those men listed above were publicly recognised by Qantas or the Australian Government for their heroic events. It pains me to say those words because I know that without them, I wouldn’t be here today.

Without them, I wouldn’t be here to care for my daughter, Apolonia, who now needs full-time care after an accident 10 years to the date of the QF72 incident.

Since I made it home safe to my family 11 years ago, I have been fighting for these men to be awarded Australia’s highest civilian Bravery Award, the Cross of Valour (CV), to be recognised at least publicly. I have online campaigning with my signatures page, I have been on news specials and have contacted every MP in Australia, the Government themselves and Qantas. Still nothing!

I have been continuously shut down time and time again.

If you really look at this situation as a whole, I am not asking for much. I am just a man who is so grateful for his life that he wants to see the right people recognised.

Of course, I am not asking you to go against the Government. All I am asking is for some form of support from you, Your Majesty. Whether this is a public recognition or a response I can use for the future.

As I’ve mentioned, I would not be here right now if it wasn’t for Captain Kevin Sullivan (Ret.), First Officer Peter Lipsett, and Second Officer Ross Hales, and nor would 314 other people.

The loss to family, friends and Australia as a whole would have been devastating. I can imagine you empathise with this story and understand why I have been trying to push for more recognition for these heroes.

I will continue to aim for more signatures on my petition, to reach more people to share my story and to try the best I can to get these men what they deserve. I will not give up. I owe it to these men.

I know Qantas also owe it to these men.

My story will continue to live on, and I will continue to campaign for these heroes. I don’t think I am being unreasonable or have asked for too much. All I am trying to do is express my gratitude and the gratitude of those who were saved on that day.

The day my life changed forever, and the day the lives of other 314 people on board changed.

We all suffer in silence, we all have had trauma. Some of it you can learn more about from the Sunday Night special we did with the local TV channel in Australia.

As I said, I am not sure what else I am meant to do. I understand you have a lot of these letters come to you. I can understand you can’t change the choices of Qantas or the Australian Government, and I am not asking you to do this for all our 50,000 + petition supporters.

All I am asking is if you could please recognise these heroes, even if in writing, then I have the tool I need to push my campaign forward.

Please help me to help all 315 people on that flight thank the men that saved our lives! The impact this would have on us will be more than you can ever imagine.

I thank you for your time. Your Majesty, I thank you for acknowledging this accident and thank you for all you do for the Commonwealth and beyond.

I have the honour to remain, Madam, Your Majesty’s most humble and obedient servant.

Kind regards,

Fuzzy Maiava