By Bill Papastergiadis OAM*
Nick Andrianakos was a giant amongst us. His relationship with me spanned a friendship, legal services and community benefactor. At all times, he was warm, generous and simply a delight to be around. His stories of his journey and success in Australia are the stuff of legends.
From a suitcase on his arrival in Australia to billionaire. However, importantly, his financial success was not the measure of him. His compassion and generosity is what drove him. He had a deep appreciation of family and our community. He was proudest when he spoke about his children (Theo, Paul, Vicky and Christina) and grandchildren.
Nick was one of the first people I met when I became President of the Greek Community of Melbourne. In fact, soon after that first meeting, I invited Nick for a coffee to discuss a vision we had to build a multi-purpose hall at Alphington Grammar. As we sat down 15 years ago and I explained the project, I said to Nick somewhat timidly, “do you think you could support the project, say with a donation of $250,000?”. Nick immediately thrust his hand forward and I, without knowing the outcome of this, also extended my hand, to which Nick then replied “done.”
That was it. A 5-minute conversation was all it took for Nick to be sold on a project for the betterment of our school program. However, this support underscored Nick’s passion for education. For him, he lamented not having finished high school in Greece. Nick could see the benefits that education brought and he wanted to invest in it for the benefit of others.
In that regard, Nick was so proud of his brother who was a leading medical doctor in Greece. I recall how he cried on the phone when I called him to extend my condolences a few years ago when his brother passed away. Nick was not afraid to show his emotions as his love for family was complete. That day, Nick said to me on the phone, “you cannot replace blood. My brother was my blood, and I feel lost without him.”
In recent years, Nick spent a large part of his time in Greece. He had acquired a hotel in Nafplio and when I asked a few months ago, whilst he showed me around the hotel, where he found the energy for the redevelopment, he replied, “I love the country of my birth and I want to support Greece as much as I can. It’s hard to do business here but its my duty.” Again, his motives were totally altruistic. Nick wanted to help others wherever he was.
Nick will remain forever with us through his legacy and the multi-purpose hall at Alphington Grammar, which proudly bears his name.
*President of the Greek Community of Melbourne
