Touched by a family of beautiful angels

Those that are worthy of your attention do not

scream out loud and proclaim how amazing they are.

They draw you in with a knowing evident in every

step they take. They bow in humility as others see

their own greatness in their eyes. – Lenita Vangellis

What do get when you have a Greek Australian actress who is best known for playing Poppy Skouros on Neighbours and a hot bloke who is best known for being a 2005 Australian Idol contestant? Lenita Vangellis and James Kannis who are a mother-and-son duo that were both born into a beautiful family of angels and have both equally become ones each in their own way.

      
I would’ve never, in my wildest dreams, thought that writing a fan letter to one of my favourite singers who I also look up to a lot would change my life forever.

Here’s my personal take on the way in which I would describe James Kannis (as I’ve gotten to know him).

James immediately captivated me with his really soulful singing voice from the moment he stepped on to the audition stage of Australian Idol back in 2005 and as the competition went on, I saw such an angelic enlightenment of positivity in his personality that was so effortlessly-natural that you can’t help but be drawn into and be inspired by.

Eight years ago, I was one of the luckiest musical fans of his that got to receive this treatment above which did make such a difference in my life to the point where I decided to track him down and thank him in person...

So putting pen to paper in writing that fan letter was my first step in starting this journey...

My whole purpose for this letter was to request an interview with him to learn how he always maintains a positive life attitude and his response was completely and amazingly unexpected: it turns out that he was just as equally inspired by me as I was by him (as his mother Lenita quotes it so eloquently).

The interview took place on April 7, 2009 which is a day I’ll never forget because it changed my life forever because I equally learnt just as much from interviewing him as well as from looking up to him.

I also established a great work rapport with his mum and got the opportunity to know her personally and wholeheartedly loved her just as equally as much as I loved James. 

We immediately hit off and got along well together at the interview and we decided to keep in contact and become friends thereafter which was nice...

James believes that I’m an inspiration to him because of my thriving and lively spirit combined with my victimlessly-motivational attitude to life, which is so kind of him to point out, let alone say.

I pretty much feel the same way about him and I also admire him (as I always say) mainly because, on a personal level, he’s one of the manliest people you could ever met yet deep inside he has this beautifully kind and soft heart that is filled with a limitless capacity of unconditional love that flows and shines through effortlessly and naturally towards whomever he meets.

I also got to form a lifelong bond with their amazing family as I got to visit Lenita’s parents (James' maternal grandparents) Matoula and George Psillakis on May 26, 2013 and I could reflectively say that I’m so proud to be associated with such a beautiful family full of angels in disguise as well as proud to call them part of my second family with Lenita Vangellis being like my second mum, spiritual mentor and friend and James Kannis as one of my role models, inspirational teacher and a really great friend who has become like a big brother to me and I’m so proud of them both.   

Love always Maria Makhoul.