He was a craftsman, a sportsman, a mentor, a deep thinker, a perfectionist.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He was legendary - in his home town of Camperdown, throughout the south-west, in the cycling world, and in the hearts of all those who met him.
That's why Kevin Bradshaw's sudden death has rocked his family and friends and left the community in a state of disbelief. You only had to say the word "Braddy" and everyone knew you were talking about the "son of Camperdown".
Braddy was a highly sought-after painter and decorator - skills he had mastered over 48 years in the trade and where he was renowned for helping to breathe life back into historic homesteads.
No one was to know it was the last time he would head off to work on Tuesday morning and that his signature white ute would never be coming home.
Kevin Joseph Bradshaw was born and raised in Camperdown, the third of six children. It was obvious from the start that Braddy had high cycling ambitions.
When his mother couldn't find him one day she went searching. He had told her that he was going for a ride around the clock tower and that's eventually where she found him - happily hanging laps of the historic landmark on his little tricycle.
Camperdown was renowned as a cycling town and Braddy was introduced to the sport through his cousins, the Hatelys, who were keen participants.
At 14, when all the other kids were hooning around town on dragsters, Braddy bought his first racing bike from a neighbour.
Recognising his obvious talents, the town's guru of cycling, Geoff Kane, suggested Braddy should give up football and concentrate on building his muscles for cycling instead. It was to be life-changing advice as he started to win events at a local level.
In 1972, South Purrumbete's Clyde Sefton won the silver medal at the Munich Olympics.
This was an inspirational moment for Braddy who began training harder and started racing at major events in Melbourne and interstate in an effort to earn a spot on the podium.
At 22, he was named in the Australian Olympic team for the 1980 Moscow Olympics competing in the team time trial and the individual road race.
The Australian team was then invited to race in Switzerland and Italy where Braddy remained to race for the rest of the year with sponsorship from a local cycling shop.
Returning home, he raced in two Sun Tours, finishing fourth in one and winning two stages. He finished four Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classics, coming home in third place in 1982.
He gave cycling away for a number of years as family and business interests took priority, but was encouraged to pull on his knicks once again for a Murray to Moyne event to fundraise for the Camperdown hospital.
It rekindled his interest and he proudly bought a new Malvern Star road bike - the same brand he had raced on at the Olympics - and found it invigorating to get out on the local roads a couple of times a week.
"Cycling becomes a part of you," he said. "It's good getting out in the elements".
Braddy married his one and only love, Julie Henry, in April 1985 and the couple settled into their own house in Cressy Street. In 1995, they bought 'Glen Isla', a beautiful old home on the western outskirts of town.
It was ripe for renovation and Julie and Braddy were the magicians, weaving their skills in home design and decorating to create a wonderful home filled with love and memories for their seven children, Grace, William, Molly, Charlie, Ruby, Henry and Sidney.
Quietly spoken and patient, Braddy did not tolerate injustice or bullying and their home became a haven for their friends and their children's many friends.
There was always plenty of noise, laughter, food and beds at the Bradshaws.
Braddy had a heart of gold. His gold dust has spread far and wide and is now ingrained in the lives of all those he touched.
MORE READS:
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.standard.net.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters.
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Tap here to open our Google News page.
- Join our Courts and Crime Facebook group and our dedicated Sport Facebook group.
- If you have subscribed, join our subscriber-only Facebook group.
- Subscribe.