Community Champion & Hero of Heroes - David Macrae.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 So David, how are you feeling? You've got hero of heroes.
00:05 Can't believe it. Feel great, superb, especially for everybody that's helped me over the last 18 years.
00:15 Especially what I've gone through with my MS and it's not been easy.
00:23 Do you think your MS diagnosis has changed your perspective on how you help people and seeing people in need? Or is that something you've always done?
00:32 I've always, always, always wanted to do that. I've been involved in coaching the football from a young age, from primary schools to clerking academy youth.
00:45 But once I was diagnosed with MS, I had to keep it quiet because you've got to bring money home for the family. But I kept it going.
01:00 You've obviously helped so many young people, or just people across Inverness. What does it mean to be recognised and give them a profile of what's actually happening in Inverness?
01:16 Well, I'm speechless about this all. I didn't think I was going to come here and win anything. But people really need to recognise what is happening in Inverness.
01:31 Over the last 18 years, every year, I see it getting harder and harder and harder. And now we have nationalities coming into the town and they're just exactly the same, you know.
01:48 They're struggling. But you really need to look after your neighbour. I know that's an old saying, but people just hide. They don't realise what's going on amongst them.
02:03 As long as they're okay, they're in their little bubble. And honestly, even myself, it was just down the road where I saw it happening. So you need to get tight.
02:18 And do you think that's just the simple saying, "How are you doing today?"
02:22 Exactly. I walk down the street and I say, "Good morning." "Good afternoon." And if people ignore me, I go, "Not bad, fine yourself."
02:35 And I did that offshore. I'd go up and down the corridors. You know, my shift. I was a chef baker, you know. And I'd go, "Morning, boys." No answer.
02:46 "Aye, no bad yourself, dee." And I would do it day after day after day. Then all of a sudden, they would speak back to me.
02:54 But it's all about talking, you know. Speaking to each other. But I know people are scared. They don't know who's... It's changed. Life's changing.
03:06 But you have to have trust. You have to have trust.