Doujon Zammit’s violent death at the hands of nightclub bouncers from Mykonos’ Paradise Beach is a tragedy that has touched many, but it has also evolved to showcase the best of humanity. This weekend, Nine Network’s 60 Minutes program has a must-watch update to its original report of Doujon’s death and the profound events that followed.

Producer Howard Sacre and reporter Liz Hayes have again straddled the sensitivities and shocking realities of a story that keeps on giving.

The original 2008 program covered the heart-rending events following the vicious attack on Doujon, which left him with such serious head injuries that he was airlifted to an Athens hospital.

His father, Oliver, made the mercy dash from Australia and was immediately thrust into the ensuing maelstrom, with intense media coverage and a situation in which there was no other option but to turn off his son’s life support.

Oliver featured in saturated coverage, expressing no ill-will towards Greece and describing Doujon’s death as a freak, one-off event. His insistence that his son’s heart be used to save the life of Athens journalist Kostas Gribilas, and that his other organs be used to keep another three people alive, won admiration the world over.

Kostas was dying from heart failure and had days to live but was ultimately given the kiss of life. He and future wife, Poppy, knew who the donor was, and Mr Zammit and wife Rosemarie knew who the recipient was, and they met in a very emotional encounter.

It was an extraordinary exception to the general rule that donor and recipient identities be kept confidential, largely to protect the emotional and psychological well-being of the recipient and members of both families.

“We’re updating the story because that initial meeting of Kostas and Poppy, and Oliver and Rosemarie, has blossomed into a very unusual friendship,” Sacre told Neos Kosmos.

“Kostas and Poppy have also left Greece and now live in Australia. They see Oliver and Rosemarie very often. Our story details this unique friendship.”

In early 2013, Poppy gave birth to Konstantina, but at eight months of age in September 2013 she was rushed hospital. Poppy and Kosta had noticed signs of dehydration while teething. Within 48-hours, Konstantina had passed away with heart complications. “It was a baby that took three of us to make,” Kostas says on the 60 Minutes promo.

A charitable foundation was established in memory of Konstantina Angelique Gribilas. Details can be found at: www.facebook.com/KonstantinaAngelique
Postscript

There is a personal dimension to this story for me. I was in Athens at the time and fielded frantic calls from members of my extended family following the Mykonos attack.

My cousin was, at the time, the girlfriend of Doujon’s travelling companion Cameron Tabone, and I was urged to head to the Athens hospital to assist in any way I could.

Once I was confident I’d done all that I could do to assist, I was faced with the decision of whether or not to cover the story for the Fairfax newspaper – The Sydney Morning Herald – to which I was a contributor.

In doing so, I was faced with the dilemma that following my journalistic instincts would potentially create awkwardness and tension between my immediate and extended family.

I went ahead and reported on a series of events that emotionally, remains as my hardest assignment to date, but at the same time brought the rewards of contact with some exceptional ambassadors for compassion and humanity. I have no regrets.