001 | Marko D | 2026

Captured in Dunedin New Zealand

When I asked Marko where he called home, he didn't talk about a place as such. He talked about family.

Dunedin has been home for most of his life because it's where the people he loves are. It's where familiar friends, colleagues, and routines have become part of every day, and where life has gradually unfolded over decades.

Then our conversation turned to the moment that changed his life. In 2008, Marko lost his father. He believes he didn't have to die in such a way. His father became seriously unwell while living in a rest home. Marko reflects back and the warning signs were missed, the hospital refused to admit him until he was critically ill, and by the time help arrived, it was already too late. Nearly twenty years on, the pain hasn't disappeared.

"It still sort of reverberates."

That experience didn't just take his father. It changed the way he sees the healthcare system. It changed the way he thinks about growing older. Most of all, it changed what trust means to him.

Yet the grief of a lost family member is only part of his story. Almost as an afterthought, Marko mentioned winning a local half marathon at the age of forty some years back, finishing ahead of runners half his age. There was no bragging, only a hint of a smile and the words, "I was quite chuffed about that actually. It was pretty tough."

Today, he still finds purpose in solving problems. He loves planning, logistics and making things happen under pressure. What has been hardest isn't the work itself, but years of feeling overlooked, and underappreciated while carrying increasing responsibility. Despite that, he continues to show up, do the work, and keep learning. He believes we never know everything, and that keeping an open mind is one of life's greatest lessons. Before we finished, I asked him a final question.

How would you like people to remember you?

He didn't mention his career. He didn't mention the races he'd won, his hobbies or interests.

After a brief thought he simply said, "Someone they could trust. And rely on. If I said I was going to do something, I would do it."