A son, a brother, an Elvis lover.
A man of goodwill and of even bigger heart.
Fifty-one-year-old Army veteran Kyle Jensen tragically died while on holiday in Bali last month, reverberating shock waves throughout various Sale communities.
Kyle’s untimely death has left a hole in the hearts of many, most heavily his father and best friend, Jim Jensen.
Kyle and Jim shared an extremely special connection, the sort that not everyone is lucky enough to experience in their lifetime, the kind that one cherishes for eternity.
Just as Kyle adored his father, Jim treasured his son.
Kyle and his father relocated to Sale from Melbourne in late 2021, finding the perfect house where the former soldier could flourish in one of his most loved passions, gardening.
A gentle, humble man with a big heart who found joy in helping others, it is no surprise that Kyle wasted little time establishing a significant presence within local community organisations, Marley Street Community Hub and Gippsland Veterans Centre.
In early 2022, Kyle and Jim Jensen arrived on the front doorstep of Marley Street Community Hub (MSCH), bearing gifts, an array of fresh, home-grown fruit and vegetables.
“Kyle had a real passion for vegetable gardening,” the MSCH community said.
“He could see we had a need here at the Hub to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to Food Bank recipients, and he was really keen to help us fill that need, and he could see he could do that through his passion for gardening.”
Kyle and Jim became volunteers at MSCH, with Kyle taking charge of the charity’s various community gardens, clearing out the overgrown weeds before planting a fresh, new assortment of vegetables.
“Ever since then, we’ve had a constant supply of vegetables because of Kyle and Jim presenting to the Hub,” the MSCH community said.
“It was definitely something Kyle was passionate about, and he could see there was a real need, and he filled the need; he had the real heart to do that.”
Kyle and his father would pick up and drop off goods for the local charity every week, in addition to tending to MSCH’s community gardens.
“Every week, no matter if it was rain, hail or shine, they would go and pick up these supplies for us and bring them around,” the MSCH community said.
“So Kyle was very much part of our, not just doing the veggie garden, but very much part of our weekly routine here at the hub.
“He is very sadly missed by all.”
MSCH described the respected and valued member of their volunteer team as a big man with a big heart and a big voice.
“He had a real presence in the room when he was there,” the MSCH community said.
“He really enjoyed conversation; Kyle really enjoyed a good conversation. He wasn’t one to sit in the corner and say nothing; he was the kind of person to really get involved.
“He had a big heart and a big presence.
“While he’s only been here a short time in Sale, Kyle has engaged with the community and has made a significant impact in that short time.”
Kyle, a former infantry soldier with the Australian Army who served his country on deployment in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia, also profoundly impacted those at the Gippsland Veterans Centre during his fleeting time in Sale.
“Kyle was a gentle man, a happy-go-lucky type of fella,” treasurer secretary of the Gippsland Veteran’s Centre Ross Jackson, said.
“He was a generous man, larger than life and funny in his own way.”
As a former Australian Defence Force serving member, Kyle was attracted to the Gippsland Veteran’s Centre when he and his father relocated to Sale – a way to meet like-minded people within the local community. It was here Kyle met Ross Jackson.
The pair instantly sparked a friendship, quickly discovering a shared passion for music.
“Kyle played the guitar,” Ross said.
“Music and gardening, they were his two big passions.
“And Elvis. Kyle’s favourite person was Elvis.”
Shortly after discovering their mutual love for music, Kyle and Ross formed a music group at the Gippsland Veterans Centre, with the number of members fast amassing to six.
“The music group is still going,” Ross said.
“We talk about Kyle a lot still.
“The music group isn’t just a music group, yes we play music, but it also acts as a support and welfare group, where we can share things, get things off our chests, debrief.
“The music group helps the guys in the group, and it wouldn’t have started without Kyle.
“A big hole has been left,” he said.
“Kyle’s death was a shock, still is.
“He has left a hole in the hearts of many.”
Kyle shared the bounty of his garden with the Gippsland Veterans Centre, routinely bringing in boxes of freshly harvested vegetables and volunteering his time at the front desk.
“I really admired him,” Ross said.
“I only knew him for 18 months, but Kyle has left a big impression on me.
“I didn’t know him long, but I will miss him; we all will.”
During this year’s National Volunteer Week, Volunteering Australia CEO Mark Pearce awarded Kyle Jensen a certificate of appreciation for being a change-maker in the community through his volunteer work.
The loss of Army veteran and avid volunteer Kyle Jensen will continue to be mourned by many as a life lost tragically too soon.
The King of rock’n’roll, Elvis Presley, once said, “Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave ’em all over everything you do”.
How lucky we are to have had Kyle leave his values all over the things he did.
