Legendary television journalist Mike Willesee turned to Catholicism after investigating religious miracles in the late 90s.
While he would classify himself as a devoutly religious man today, there was a time when the 75-year-old questioned religion – and the people who abided by the values of God.
At the tender age of 10, Willesee’s father sent him to the notorious Catholic orphanage in Bindoon ‘to toughen him up’ – despite the fact both his parents were alive.
He described his first night in Bindoon when ‘four or five kids’ punched him, once to the point of unconsciousness, until he finally shot at his tormentors with a rifle (pictured younger)
Willesee (pictured), who was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame last week, survived the 1997 crash along with cameraman Greg Low
‘Dad said, “I’m going to send you up to Bindoon for a while”, and I’d been there with him. I knew he liked this place. And I couldn’t understand why I would be sent to an orphanage. I said, “Why, Dad?”‘ Willesee told Australian Story.
‘I still don’t know why my father thought I needed to toughen up, but I did toughen up. You know, it changed me.’
He described his first night in Bindoon when ‘four or five kids’ punched him, once to the point of unconsciousness, until he finally shot at his tormentors with a rifle.
‘You didn’t complain, you didn’t dob, and you looked after yourself,’ he told the Australian Woman’s Weekly.
While in high school Willesee was ‘punched to the ground’ by a particularly unethical headmaster.
‘It made me lose respect for the brothers. It made me lose respect for the Catholic Church for a long time,’ he said.
At the tender age of 10, Willesee’s father sent him to the notorious Catholic orphanage in Bindoon ‘to toughen him up’ (pictured)
With a childhood as violent as this it came as some surprise to the 75-year-old’s family and friends when he turned back to God.
The change happened when Willesee, who was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame earlier this month, survived a plane crash in 1997 along with cameraman Greg Low.
He had a premonition before the flight took off that it wouldn’t arrive safely at its destination.
A plane crash (pictured) changed legendary television journalist Mike Willesee’s (pictured) life after his chilling pre-take off premonition became reality
The plane plummeted to earth in a game park after taking off from Nairobi, Kenya, on the way to southern Sudan
‘I couldn’t understand it. I had this fight in my own head before I got on the plane. How do I tell Greg that it’s going to crash?’ said Willesee, Australian Story reported.
‘I had a premonition but I did not believe in premonitions. But did I believe it was going to crash? Absolutely.’
The plane plummeted to earth in a game park after taking off from Nairobi, Kenya, on the way to southern Sudan.
Emerging unhurt from the crash, Willesee was a changed man, becoming a devout follower of his childhood faith within two years.
Willesee then devoted his life to investigating Catholic miracles, travelling across South America.
The transformation came as a surprise to the journalist’s family (pictured are Willesee, ex-wife Carol, and children Jo, Amy and Lucy)
He appeared on Signs From God, broadcast on American TV in 1999, in which he interviewed Katya Rivas.
The Bolivian woman claimed to experience Stigmata, bleeding from the crucifixion injuries suffered by Jesus, and he had no doubt Rivas was authentic.
Willesee ended up spending 20 years investigating similar phenomena from Bolivia, Argentina and Mexico.
The iconic journalist, regarded as one of the best interviewers of his era, is now battling stage four throat cancer.
He recently completed radiation therapy after being diagnosed 12 months ago, and cites his faith and his family as instrumental in helping him through the pain.
The iconic journalist (pictured), regarded as one of the best interviewers of his era, is now battling stage four throat cancer