VALE MARK RANDELLO

November 27, 2018

Staunch TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) member Mark Randello was farewelled recently after tragically losing his life while driving at work.

Mark, a truck driver for ACFS in West Melbourne, was a popular, warm and hard-working man who lived for his family and sadly leaves behind three-year-old daughter Isabella.

ACFS TWU members nationally should be congratulated for already having raised a significant amount of money that will be placed in trust for Isabella.

Branch Secretary John Berger. Ports Organiser Mem Suleyman and 50 of Mark’s colleagues joined family and friends to pay their respects to the local western suburbs boy who grew up on his family’s farm in Werribee.

Mark treated his workmates like family, always found the good in others, loved a laugh and brightening people’s day with his beaming smile.

He also kept things upbeat with the occasional dance with friends at work.

Some of those workmates stood a guard of honour for the 43-year-old as he began his final journey from the church.

The TWU and law firm Maurice Blackburn continue to support the Randello family.

John said the hardest part of his job, or for any Union official, was when we lose a member – under any circumstances.

“These tragedies are an important reminder that the cabin of a truck is just about the most dangerous workplace in Australia, and of the inherent risks and sacrifices for the brave souls who drive trucks,” he said.

“Mark was a very likeable and staunch member and always willing to go out of his way to assist fellow members. The least we can do is honour him and all those who have left us by rolling up the sleeves each and every morning to fight for them.”

Mark worked in the family’s market garden business until drought forced him off the land almost a decade ago and he later moved into the transport industry.

ACFS Delegate Greg Annett said Mark was a “terrific, happy-go-lucky” workmate.

“He was one of the good guys, a super bloke. You sometimes spend more time at work than home and so Mark just wanted to enjoy being here and he made it better for everyone else,” Greg said.

“He was a gentleman and keen to work and was always looking to improve himself. He made everyone’s job easier. We are all still struggling with it I guess, but everyone has been super supportive and I am really proud of how everyone has helped each other through this time.”

 

 

Greg Randello, Mark’s brother, prepared a heartfelt tribute to his sibling for TWU members. We are sorry for your loss, Greg, and wish you all the best at this sad time:

My brother Mark was a real achiever. He was kind and generous and he was a joy to be around and had a great sense of humour.

We grew up – three brothers together – with our parents on a farm growing vegetables for the markets. Mark learnt many skills, from driving the tractor to welding, plumbing to landscaping, renovating to selling and growing produce and horticulture.

He was always educating himself and students to learn more and he was always there to help – nothing was ever too much. He was my brother and best friend and a fantastic uncle. He worked hard and family was everything to him, especially his little girl Isabella.

Mark loved water sports and family bar-b-ques. His friends and he were always trying to make light of a bad situation after our parents divorced. We struggled a lot financially but he always looked after mum. We held out hope after the big drought but, with no water for our vegetable crops, we decided to give farming away.

Mark then drove trucks and worked for a number of companies and eventually became a driver with ACFS.

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