When Virginia Dight signed up to be a Sydney 2000 volunteer over a decade ago, she had no idea the rollercoaster ride it would be.

“My previous husband and I saw the ad in the paper and were so excited we signed up straight away,” Virginia said.

“I was a registered nurse so I thought I would be part of the medical team but when the organisers found out I spoke French they assigned me to media.

“We also signed up to be Ceremonies volunteers which was really exciting.”

As the process of becoming a Sydney 2000 volunteer progressed, Virginia’s world was rocked by her husband’s sudden illness. He became very ill with cancer, passing away before rehearsals for the ceremonies even began.

“It was heartbreaking,” Virginia said. “He really wanted to be part of it. Once he was gone I didn’t know if I could go through with it but I knew he would have wanted me to.”

Having grown up in the country, Virginia was picked to work with the horses in the ‘Man from Snowy River’ segment of the Opening Ceremony.

She attended training and rehearsals for a couple of months in the lead up to the Games, commuting to and from the Central Coast and fitting it in around working two jobs to support her children.

“It was exhausting but it was such an amazing experience,” Virginia recalled.

Whilst all this was going on, Virginia was encouraged by her family and friends to get her life back on track and start dating again.

“I really just wanted to be left alone,” Virginia said. “But I had a lot of support and love from my colleagues and family so I eventually got the courage to get back into dating.”

Through an internet dating site, Virginia met Mike, also from the Central Coast. The two courted and their love blossomed throughout Virginia’s Olympic volunteering journey.

“Mike was worried about how tired I was, taking the train to Sydney and back every day after working a night shift as a nurse,” Virginia said.

“He started driving to Strathfield station to pick me up – and he always had a thermos of coffee and a packet of Tim-Tams!”

After months of rehearsals, the Games arrived.

“The Opening Ceremony was amazing,” Virginia said. “It was all just so exciting.”

During the Games, Virginia was stationed in the media village near Sydney Olympic Park, using her language skills to help journalists and working media from all round the world.

On the way back to the Central Coast one evening, over the mandatory coffee and Tim-Tams, Virginia’s world was again turned upside down.

“We were driving home and all of a sudden, Mike just turned to me and said ‘Will you marry me?’"

“It was the most wonderful end to an amazing experience.”

Alice Wheeler
AOC