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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-08-20 Daily Xml
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Feegrade, Mr R.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:53): I rise today to honour the life of Rohan Feegrade and to pay tribute to the legacy of a truly remarkable South Australian. Mr Rohan Feegrade, as honourable members know, was the Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Care. He sadly passed away at the age of only 47 after a courageous battle with cancer.

His memorial service was held on 1 July 2025. I recall that it was one of the coldest mornings in Adelaide, with a temperature of 2.6°C. Despite it being a freezing cold day, a large crowd of Rohan's family members, friends, colleagues and community members gathered at the Adelaide Oval to honour the loving memory of Rohan. On the invitation, guests were asked to wear bright colours or floral clothing to show their love and affection, because the family wanted the room to be full of colour and full of warmth, love and joy, just like Rohan.

Rohan was an exceptional leader with integrity, vision and compassion. His passing is a great loss, not only to his family and friends but to the South Australian community. Rohan was a devoted husband to Julia, a loving father to Sophie and Maya, a cherished son to Dee and Errol, and a precious friend and brother to many who have had the pleasure to know him and work with him. So many moving speeches were made and video clips on the day displaying Rohan's signature big smile, showing his passion for life, his love for his family and his community was evident in everything he did.

Under Rohan's outstanding leadership, Lutheran Care did not just grow, it transformed. The organisation quadrupled in size, not for the sake of growth but to reach more people, to do more good, to make a greater impact in the lives of those experiencing hardship, homelessness, domestic violence and other forms of disadvantage. Rohan believed that every person deserves dignity. He understood that behind every statistic was a story, a family and a future.

Rohan's tenacious leadership was not confined to strategy documents or boardroom tables. He lived the values he championed. He was fully committed and fully engaged at roundtable discussions, community events, at staff gatherings and on the frontlines of service delivery. He knew the names and stories of those he worked with and for. His trusted colleague and close friend, Percy Henry, who served as the chief operations officer at Lutheran Care, spoke at Rohan's memorial service and described him not just as a leader but as a brother. He was the young bull, as Percy affectionately described him, fearless, driven and full of energy, but he also knew when to listen, when to reflect and when to walk alongside others.

Listening to the reflections during the memorial service, it was clear that Rohan built a team that was more than a leadership group; it was a tribe, a family driven by common values and purpose. Even in the remaining months and days of his life, Rohan continued to lead with courage and humility. His battle with cancer was met with the same strength, resilience and grace that defined his approach to life. His tenacity to face adversity with dignity and give hope to those he loved was an inspiration to all who knew him. Deepest condolences to Julia, Sophie, Maya and the entire Feegrade family.

Please know that Rohan's legacy lives on, not only in the profound programs that he built or the policies that he shaped but in the lives that he touched and the significant impact he made to our community. As Percy Henry so beautifully said at Rohan's memorial:

We didn't just build a human services organisation—we built a movement. A family. And Rohan was the heartbeat of it all.

With deep gratitude for his contribution, it is an honour today to acknowledge a passionate leader in our community and the distinguished service of Rohan. May his loving memory and profound legacy continue to guide us in our efforts to support those in need and build a more compassionate, inclusive society. Vale Rohan. Farewell my friend. Forever in our hearts.

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