David Campbell's tearful acceptance of heartwarming award
David Campbell was unable to hold back his tears as he delivered an emotional speech after he and his father Jimmy Barnes jointly won the 2024 Australian Father of the Year Award.
The Today Extra host became emotional when he accepted the award on Thursday, reflecting on what being a father means to him.
“I can honestly tell you we won the lottery, we really did,” Campbell said, slowly tearing up.
“They teach us how to parent them as individuals for all their own needs, their talents and their unbelievable zest for life, I am the father that I am today - of the year - because I fathered them.”
“So to Leo, Billy and Betty, thank you for being patient, I had no idea what I was doing, but you make me laugh and the most part you listen to your mum and I when we try to guide you through this fantastical life that you’re going to live,” he added, wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to retain his composure.
David Campbell's own father Jimmy Barnes was unable to be at the award ceremony after undergoing emergency surgery to his hip, but that didn't stop Campbell paying tribute to his famous dad.
“He takes fatherhood really, really personally, he had a very traumatic childhood growing up and it was really, really difficult for him,” Campbell explained.
“He had a lot of trauma, a lot of abuse, which he’s written about and he’s had to overcome all of that and of course, he had a lot of problems in his life."
“But the fact that he then became a parent with Jane, to my brothers and sisters and to me, has been the thing that he’s been able to improve his past and change the future by raising us and giving us the tools that we needed to be better.”
“And for me, no matter what, he’s been my North Star, even with his mistakes, because I watch him improve on that all the time and he’s an incredible grandfather to not only my kids, but the 127 grandkids he has."
Image credits: Today Extra