The family of Dr Thomas Brian Guy, who died in Rarotonga in 1977, travelled from Canada and Australia to unveil his plaque in the Nikao Cemetery, which they discovered thanks to the efforts of local volunteers.

The Nikao Cemetery has brought people together from all over the world to visit and pay respects to their loved ones buried in the cemetery next to the Returned Services Association (RSA).

Last month, the family of the late Dr Thomas Brian Guy, who is buried in the Nikao cemetery, arrived from Canada and Australia for his plaque unveiling ceremony held on Saturday, September.

Dr Thomas Brian Guy was born on April 6, 1939, in Liverpool, England. He passed away in Rarotonga on June 1, 1977, at the age of 38.

His family – Dr Richard Guy (brother) from Canada, Jeanette Meehan (daughter) from Sydney, Australia, Sarah (granddaughter) and her husband Michael Mann and their children from NSW, Australia, attended the special event.

The Guy family has been fortunate to discover Dr Thomas Guy’s burial site 47 years after his death, thanks to the work of Paula Paniani, Cate Walker and the Nikao Cemetery Restoration Project Facebook page.

Father Freddy Kaina of the Rarotonga Catholic Diocese officiated the poignant, meaningful ceremony.

Speeches were read by his brother Dr Richard Guy and locals, Jessie Sword and Agnes Armstrong nee Sword. The latter’s connection to Dr Thomas Guy is through a photograph of their late mother, Mama Noo, at his grave. The family is still trying to piece together information about this connection.

Dr Thomas Brian Guy was a former cancer patient of Milan Brych, a Czech-born cancer therapist who set up a clinic in Rarotonga.

Following are excerpts from “How it All Began”, a booklet about the Guy family by Dr Thomas’ sister Barbara Martin.

“During the war in England an ammunition train exploded a mile away from where he lived causing extensive damage to their family home. The family survived.

Guy attended Saint Mathew’s Senior School, then was accepted for an apprenticeship as a tool maker.

He attended night school and passed Ordinary and Higher National Certificates in Mechanical Engineering, becoming a graduate of the Institution of Mechanical Engineering.

Guy married Francis Jacobs and they had two children, Paul and Jeanette.

He worked in a number of industrial jobs as a Development Engineer and then registered in a Master of Engineering programme in Fluid Dynamics at Southampton University.

His acceptance was extremely unusual because he had no previous University history; his professor, however, recognised his special skills in making and operating experimental equipment. The work progressed so well that he was transferred to a Doctoral programme and graduated with PhD in 1971.

Dr Guy was an accomplished trombone player and he played professionally in a number of jazz groups.

In 1970, he emigrated to Australia and in November 1971 he and Francis had a second son Christopher.

He was employed at the Atomic Energy of Australia in Sydney.

In 1974, he moved to Canberra to take the position as Senior Lecturer at The Royal Military College, Duntroon.

In 1976, he was diagnosed with cancer of the bowel. A year later the cancer had spread to his liver and he was given four weeks to live.

A friend drew his attention to a magazine article about the self-proclaimed cancer therapist Milan Brych in Rarotonga.

Past patients were contacted and they claimed that they had been cured in Rarotonga therefore Dr Thomas decided to give it a go.

During this period an air strike was declared. A doctor in Melbourne offered him a seat on a private aircraft that was to leave that week. Sadly, three weeks after arriving in Rarotonga he died.”

At the unveiling ceremony, Cate Walker extended her gratitude to Paula Paniani, who was the master of ceremonies and created the beautiful floral arrangements, the Sword family – sisters Jessie, Agnes and Madeleine for their assistance with tents and refreshments, Teva Teaukura and Bobby Ryan Hansen for their work in rebuilding the grave and installing the plaque, and the Arorangi Bears for their ongoing voluntary work in the Nikao Cemetery.