Coleraine man Sean McCarry caught unawares by vehicle tribute to rescue hero
Coleraine man Sean McCarry was caught completely unawares when the National Geographic channel arranged a surprise presentation to mark almost 20 years leading Community Rescue Service - by completely overhauling the organisation's very first Land Rover.
The channel's Car SOS is the much-loved motoring restoration series hosted by Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend, which combines expert vehicle rebuilds with powerful human stories.
In each episode, the duo secretly restore a cherished vehicle belonging to a deserving owner who has put others before themselves.
This week’s episode tells the inspiring story of Coleraine local Sean McCarry, who is rewarded for almost 20 years of lifesaving community service searching for missing persons.
Sean told the News Letter how he was tricked into appearing at the Titanic centre in Belfast for filming a taster, he thought, for a different programme.
This was not unusual as he has been involved with media many times during his career.
"The presenter kept asking me awkward questions and I was really wondering what was happening," he said.
He started to protest and she asked him to turn to the side so they could get a side profile.
Eventually he turned around and a massive green screen was dropped to reveal some 80 friends, family and colleagues from across the world who had flow in for the event – with his old Land Rover taking pride of place – but completely revamped.
"It took some minutes for it all to really sink in what was happening," he said.
"I have to say I was absolutely lost for words. It was hugely emotional.”
He began his career with the Coast Guard where he was trained in lowland search methods for missing persons. When the Troubles ended, he started the lowland rescue service in Coleraine, which up until that point had been done by the police.
At first he started out with around a dozen volunteers and the Land Rover which was restored for the programme.
"It had become really run down and was just covered by mould and needed the gearbox overhauled," he said. "It was one of those things we were meaning to get around to."
One excuse to get the vehicle moved for restoration was that diggers needed to access the land at their centre, which he did not understand at the time. On another occasion, his son brought him to meet volunteers for a meeting in Bangor to give time and space for the work to be done.
"Afterwards I told him, that they were all lovely people but that I just had no idea why I was needed at the meeting.”
Community Rescue Service, now operates more than ten units across Northern Ireland with over 220 volunteers.
The kicker is that the same day of the reveal, the newly refurbished Land Rover was in service to rescue a missing person in Belfast, Sean said.
• Car SOS airs on National Geographic, Thursday at 8pm and later on Sky and Virgin catch-up.