The Beckwiths’ Legacy Story

That support looks different for every family, but its impact is best understood through the families who have lived it.

Rebecca Beckwith was left to raise two young children alone in 2007, after her husband Peter, a Leading Seaman aboard HMAS Newcastle, passed away from a service-related brain tumour at just 29.

One of Peter's final wishes was for Rebecca to call Legacy. She did, and the next day a Legacy volunteer was at her door.

That knock on the door, in the rawest days of her grief, was the beginning of a relationship that has now lasted 19 years.

"Legacy took care of our desperate financial situation straight away," Rebecca remembers. "They gave us some stability and hope at the time we were most vulnerable."

"I have heard Legacy described as Australia's largest family, and that is exactly how we feel."

In those early years, support meant easing the financial pressure of raising two children alone. But as Rebecca’s children, Will and Ella, grew, Legacy grew with them. Priorities shifted to school assistance and the children joined the Legacy youth camps that would come to mean so much to them.

For Ella, those camps became some of her most treasured childhood memories.

"The annual youth camps gave me the chance to make lifelong friends, try new activities, and create so many fun memories," she says. "Legacy has always reminded me that I'm part of a community that truly cares."

At a time when grief could easily have isolated her, Legacy did the opposite. "Everyone is welcoming, supportive, and understands what you're going through," Ella says. "You become part of a community that will always be there to support you."

Will felt it too. When reflecting on the support he received from Legacy, he remembered finding a place among other kids who understood exactly what he'd lost, without needing to explain it.

 "These camps enabled me to be myself, and not just 'the boy who lost his dad.'" 

Will has since gone on to mentor other children who have experienced the loss of a veteran parent through Legacy's Youth Leader program. "My life would have been very different without Legacy," he says.

Now studying social work, Ella carries her father with her in the choice. "I think he would be proud that I've turned my experiences into a career supporting people," she says.

And for everything that's carried her and her brother this far, her gratitude comes back, always, to Legacy’s supporters.

"Because of your donations, children like me had the opportunity to make lifelong friendships, attend camps, access support, and feel like we belonged," Ella says. "The impact of your kindness lasts well beyond childhood."

As more veteran families become eligible for support, demand for our services continues to grow. More children will need someone to turn to.

Together, we can ensure they have the same opportunities that helped Will and Ella thrive: opportunities to build confidence, discover their strengths, stay connected to school and community, and grow into capable young adults.

Every donation and every badge worn during Legacy Week helps keep that promise.