As days go, Gez Ossai has just had a cracker on a rare break from his job as a care home manager – not only having lunch with Amarillo star Tony Christie, but singing with him too.
Gez joined Tony as he recorded his charity cover of Andrew Gold’s 1978 hit Thank You For Being A Friend for Music for Dementia.
The 80-year-old musician has been diagnosed with the condition, and his fundraising single, out on July 2, will feature carers representing Britain’s army of unsung heroes.
And lucky Gez, 58, met Tony as the winner of the Mirror’s carer competition for Thank You Day.
Gez, of Longford, Glos, says: “Tony was such a nice person, a kind human being. He wasn’t aloof. He spoke to everybody. We went out for lunch and he was talking about his journey, for want of a better term.
“He’s quite happy because it doesn’t prevent him from doing what he loves doing, which is singing
and performing.”
Gez knows about living for his job too. His dedication to the residents at his care home is best summed up by the time when he awoke from a Covid-induced coma in 2020 and his first thoughts were for them.
“It was all he could worry about,” says wife Amy, 46. “I said come on, Gez you’re seriously ill in hospital, I’m not going to bring your laptop in!”
The father-of-four is the general manager at Wentworth Court Dementia Specialist Home in Cheltenham. He works tirelessly, getting into work at 4am, and often stays until about 7pm.
“I get paid to spend time with friends. That’s how it seems. We look after 65 people. It’s very taxing mentally but that’s what makes it even more enjoyable.
“I work with a team of people who don’t look for recognition or anything like that, people just do it because that’s just how they are. They are very, very empathetic,” Gez explains.
He decided to become a carer after his first wife passed away with cancer in 2003. After seeing how fulfilled and hardworking the people who cared for his wife were, he decided to quit his job as an accountant to pursue a career in care. Aside from helping others Gez has a disability that makes walking difficult. He has also gone through tragedy, having lost their daughter Chichi in 2020, and daughter Jasmine being stillborn last July.
Despite this, Gez is unwaveringly selfless and positive in helping others. He talks at schools, runs workshops and has met with the Prime Minister and King Charles and Queen Camilla.
“It’s a passion. It is what I do for a living, but I live it, I actually live it. Wherever I can, I talk to people about dementia,” he says.
“I talk to people about looking after people with dementia, because that person might say, ‘Well, that sounds really good.’ And they then take up work in the care sector.”
Gez may have already inspired many people, but his son Isaac, eight, is set to follow in his dad’s footsteps. “I want to be a carer AND a footballer,” he declares.
Amy says Gez balances being a dad with his round-the-clock work. “If I say will you pick up Isaac on your way back, he will do and they’ll often go back to work or be taking phone calls in the evening,” she says.
When it comes to the lyrics of Tony’s charity song – “your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidante” – they could have been written for Gez. And Tony was just as delighted to spend time with him. The singer says: “It was an honour and delight to meet Gez and to have him be part of my forthcoming charity record.
“I can see why he was chosen to win the Mirror’s national competition for a deserving carer. He is an inspiration, and was great fun to have around the recording studio!”
- To register your interest or find out more about Thank You Day and the wider ways you can get involved visit https://thankyouday.org.uk/music/
