Medic's three-day countdown to death, The Australian, 7 April, 2005.

Medic's three-day countdown to death: [6 NSW Country Edition]
Stapleton, John.ย The Australianย [Canberra, A.C.T] 07 Apr 2005: 5.
Abstract
NAVY medic Petty Officer Stephen Slattery, part ofย theย medical team sent toย theย Indonesian island of Nias to help victims ofย theย Easter Monday earthquake, was told of his deployment only on Wednesday of last week.
Petty Officer Slattery, 38, met his wife inย theย early 1990s atย theย former HMAS Nirimba naval base at Quakers Hill in Sydney's northwest where she was employed as a domestic and he worked inย theย medical centre.
[Noelene] said he had been devoted to his work atย theย naval medical centre at HMAS Kuttabul, on Sydney's Garden Island, never complaining aboutย theย long hours.
Full Text
NAVY medic Petty Officer Stephen Slattery, part ofย theย medical team sent toย theย Indonesian island of Nias to help victims ofย theย Easter Monday earthquake, was told of his deployment only on Wednesday of last week.
By Thursday he was onย theย way. By Saturday he was dead, one ofย theย nineย Australianย defence force personnel killed whenย theย Sea King helicopter they were travelling in crashed on Nias while coming in to land on a soccer field.
His death has left behind his heartbroken wife Noelene and her two children he raised as his own -- Tracy, 32, and Shaun, 29.
Petty Officer Slattery, 38, met his wife inย theย early 1990s atย theย former HMAS Nirimba naval base at Quakers Hill in Sydney's northwest where she was employed as a domestic and he worked inย theย medical centre.
Friends and family who gathered atย theย family home at Cranebrook in Sydney's west to support Noelene yesterday described their relationship as "a real love match" and his death as "theย worst tragedy".
"He can't be replaced," said Noelene. "He was completely devoted to me." Laughing briefly through her tears, she suggested to her women friends, who were sticking close by her side, that they were jealous.
"He liked to take me away on romantic weekends," she said. "I will never find another one like him. He was just wonderful, he truly was, and he just lovedย theย kids. He never said, `These are my step-children'. He said, `These are my daughter and my son'. He was a good man."
Until yesterday, whenย theย family broke its silence, few personal details had emerged aboutย theย ninth victim ofย theย Sea King crash.
He was remembered as a good-hearted man with a fun-loving personality and a unique sense of humour. He loved fishing, golf and a good gossip overย theย back fence, but, above all, he loved his family.
Noelene said he had been devoted to his work atย theย naval medical centre at HMAS Kuttabul, on Sydney's Garden Island, never complaining aboutย theย long hours.
"He loved his work," she said. "He wasn't worried about going (to Nias). That was part of his job."
While Shaun was too upset to speak, Tracy spoke highly of a man who never letย theย children down.
"He was like a brother, he was our dad," Tracy said.
"I have known him for half my life. There was nothing he wouldn't do for us kids. He went out of his way for us. We were always clowning around together. He was exceptionally supportive. There were things going on with me, and he would never hesitate to step out and help."
Petty Officer Slattery also leaves two grandchildren, Joelene, 7, and Thomas, 5.