Townes McCann, our beautiful boy.

One thing I know for certain is that love is at the beginning and end of everything and the undercurrent of all that’s in between. On March 31st 2022 Townes Oliver McCann began his life in this world completely encased in the love of his parents, Ainsley and Jake, and the village of aunties, uncles, grandparents & friends around them. On November 11th 2024, almost a year since he was diagnosed with cancer, Townes passed on gently, surrounded by so many of us who loved him so deeply. 

He loved the bush, flowers, birds, cars, the ocean, fire trucks, his dog Blaze, kangaroos, Bluey, diggers, a good tune, butterflies, Kewpie mayo, bananas, bike rides, dinosaurs and three shaggy, slightly mop-like silicone puppies (to name a few). And it was no surprise that Townes followed in his mother’s footsteps, loving the natural world and Australian natives; only with the joy, purity and awe that is held by hearts so young and open. 

There is this one video that Ainsley has, taken by Townes while on a walk in a heathland that he loved. You can see T’s little shadow, hear his sweet voice and see as he pauses over flowers, mimicking the way his mum takes beautiful photos of native flora. It has all of the qualities of videos taken by toddlers that make them so hilarious and precious - the funny gait of their quick little walk, how he quietly hums to himself as he directs his mum to the flower patch, his little socked feet popping in and out of the frame. But the real kicker is about 10 seconds into the video, where T pans to a pile of horse poo in the middle of the path after Ains tells him what it is and to keep going (socked feet let’s remember), and Townes proceeds to say “cheese!” to that pile of poo. It’s impossible to watch it and not laugh. Oddly enough, I think that is one of the most important lessons Townes taught us all on how to find joy amongst the messiness of life. To always smile at the unexpected crap, and then move on towards the beauty of what’s ahead. 

May this donation portal be used whenever we all miss our darling boy, for holidays and birthdays and all of the random days in between when we would have gifted T something he’d love. A place for us to honour his memory by contributing to the protection of the lands and waters that were the setting of so many joyful memories. These same places that hold us all in our grief, our laughter and our love. 

We will always see you in the birds and feel you in oceans as blue as your eyes. We love you sweet boy.

Townes Forever.