Back in 2007 I was asked to produce and direct a documentary following Ray Gravell and his recovery from a leg amputation. We hit it off from the word go - it was hard not to with such a character.
At the time I had just been through a traumatic experience myself. My daughter had gone through open heart surgery, so meeting Grav so soon afterwards was both emotional and inspirational. I could empathise with Ray's situation - we cried and laughed and got on well.
For me he was a legend, a rugby hero, but I soon realised he was much more than that. He was a loving father and husband and his roots were firm in the ground that his house stood on.
Ray Gravell
His strength and courage were remarkable. He seemed to cope with his situation in a way that I could never imagine and his humour kept us all entertained. His wife Mari and daughters Manon and Gwenan were his rock, and it was a privilege to spend time with them in a period when I know they were under great strain, but they made me feel so welcome.
We were a small crew - it was just a cameraman and myself. We visited physiotherapy sessions at Morriston Hospital and were able to see for ourselves the care and commitment of the staff under great demands.
We were with him for six months and he always sent text messages when the cameraman and I were travelling back home. We would be driving through Machynlleth and a text message would arrive: "I hope your journey back is ok, txt me to say when you are home safely." He genuinely cared about people.
When the news came of his death, I was in shock. He had fought so hard, I couldn't believe that such a strong force of life had cruelly been taken away. I had just started editing the programme - and then I was leaving the editing suite to attend his funeral. It was surreal.
The programme was shelved for five years. Then we spoke with Mari and it was decided that the documentary would be shown on S4C to raise awareness of diabetes and the seriousness of the condition.
Grav - 'Sdim Cywilydd Mewn Llefain ("There's no shame in crying") was shown on 1 January, 2013. We had filmed back-to-back, in English and in Welsh, and now Ray Gravell: Life with Diabetes is being shown as part of the Live Longer Wales season on BBC One Wales.
This programme includes a recent interview with Mari and the children and also looks at the diabetes research that's taking place at Swansea University. There's also an interview with Meurig Williams, a specialist in diabetes who was Ray's consultant at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli.
For me it has been an eye-opener. I didn't realise how serious diabetes is and I hope this programme will help raise awareness of the condition.
Ray Gravell: Life With Diabetes is on Monday 21 October, 8.30pm, BBC One Wales.
