1 00:00:05,921 --> 00:00:07,281 Speaker 1: Apoday production. 2 00:00:10,121 --> 00:00:13,521 Speaker 2: We begin today by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the 3 00:00:13,601 --> 00:00:16,401 Speaker 2: land on which we gather today and pay our respects 4 00:00:16,481 --> 00:00:19,641 Speaker 2: to their elders past and present. We extend that respect 5 00:00:19,721 --> 00:00:22,881 Speaker 2: to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's here today. 6 00:00:25,081 --> 00:00:28,801 Speaker 3: Welcome to the Grow and Glow Podcast. I'm Ashy, I'm Kiara. 7 00:00:28,961 --> 00:00:31,321 Speaker 3: This is a podcast where we learn, laugh, and level 8 00:00:31,401 --> 00:00:31,841 Speaker 3: up together. 9 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:33,121 Speaker 4: Let's go deep, let. 10 00:00:33,081 --> 00:00:35,241 Speaker 5: The emotions flow, and find the lessons to. 11 00:00:35,281 --> 00:00:37,801 Speaker 4: Grow and Glow. Nothing is off the table with Grow 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:44,761 Speaker 4: and Glow, and we're here to be your expander. Hello everybody, 13 00:00:44,801 --> 00:00:45,961 Speaker 4: welcome back to Grow and Glow. 14 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,041 Speaker 5: I'm so excited. 15 00:00:47,081 --> 00:00:49,721 Speaker 4: Oh my gosh episode. I'm so excited because I have 16 00:00:50,001 --> 00:00:54,121 Speaker 4: my favorite person on Earth here today, my beautiful mom. 17 00:00:54,241 --> 00:00:59,041 Speaker 4: Hello Mom, Slash Wendy, good morning. How are you feeling 18 00:00:59,041 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 4: to be on here? Because I was just explaining to 19 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,881 Speaker 4: our producer and to Kiara that you're the complete opposite 20 00:01:03,921 --> 00:01:06,441 Speaker 4: to me. You're very introvert, you don't like the camera, 21 00:01:06,641 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 4: you don't like any attention on you. We're very pole opposite. 22 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 4: So how you feel to be interviewed today? 23 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,241 Speaker 1: I'm feeling pretty nervous, which I think is probably natural, 24 00:01:16,601 --> 00:01:19,801 Speaker 1: but I'm excited at the same time. It's like, what 25 00:01:19,881 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about is something I haven't really 26 00:01:21,881 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: talked in detail with you about before, so it's going 27 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,361 Speaker 1: to be good to sort of like maybe answer some 28 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: questions that are there that we've just never got around 29 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: to talking about. 30 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,961 Speaker 4: Yeah, Like, I feel like the last couple of years 31 00:01:35,601 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 4: our relationship has just gone from strength to strength, and 32 00:01:38,881 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 4: you and I separately and within our relationship have just 33 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 4: gone leaps and bounds and we've grown so much, and 34 00:01:46,041 --> 00:01:48,241 Speaker 4: like even ask your how much I just speak so 35 00:01:48,441 --> 00:01:50,481 Speaker 4: highly of you and how much you are doing the 36 00:01:50,521 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 4: work and just owning your stuff. You're my safe place, 37 00:01:54,401 --> 00:01:56,761 Speaker 4: like even with stuff from my childhood that's been really 38 00:01:56,761 --> 00:01:58,721 Speaker 4: hard that I'm sure is not easy for you to 39 00:01:58,801 --> 00:02:01,081 Speaker 4: hear or you're like, fuck, I don't remember it being 40 00:02:01,201 --> 00:02:03,801 Speaker 4: like that. But you never once gas like me, You 41 00:02:03,841 --> 00:02:06,001 Speaker 4: never once say that didn't have and you never once 42 00:02:06,681 --> 00:02:09,361 Speaker 4: like make me feel I don't know bad for anything. 43 00:02:09,401 --> 00:02:11,881 Speaker 4: You're always just like fully hold that space to hear 44 00:02:11,921 --> 00:02:14,881 Speaker 4: me in my experience, and that has been so healing 45 00:02:14,881 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 4: for me. And I know from experience with a lot 46 00:02:16,921 --> 00:02:18,881 Speaker 4: of people that I know they don't have parents that 47 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:20,961 Speaker 4: do that. So first of all, I just want to 48 00:02:21,001 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 4: like acknowledge that within you, and for you to come 49 00:02:23,401 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 4: on here today and talk about my upbringing and our 50 00:02:27,001 --> 00:02:30,041 Speaker 4: story together and some really fucking hard times that we've 51 00:02:30,081 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 4: been through. It's just so brave of you, and I'm 52 00:02:32,561 --> 00:02:34,401 Speaker 4: so proud, and I know that so many people listening 53 00:02:34,401 --> 00:02:36,961 Speaker 4: to this will one relate to it so much, but 54 00:02:37,001 --> 00:02:39,361 Speaker 4: to also be like, oh, maybe I can heal some 55 00:02:39,441 --> 00:02:41,961 Speaker 4: things in my life, and if they can get through that, 56 00:02:42,121 --> 00:02:43,601 Speaker 4: then wow, look what I can get through. 57 00:02:44,001 --> 00:02:46,681 Speaker 1: Oh thank you. That's just so lovely to hear. Like 58 00:02:46,761 --> 00:02:50,241 Speaker 1: you can't imagine as a mum, how good it is 59 00:02:50,281 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: to have the sort of relationship that you and I have, 60 00:02:53,561 --> 00:02:56,881 Speaker 1: And I think like it hasn't always been as close, 61 00:02:56,921 --> 00:03:01,241 Speaker 1: but we've really built it. But my philosophy is massively 62 00:03:01,321 --> 00:03:06,281 Speaker 1: these days that we are continuing to grow and evolve 63 00:03:06,361 --> 00:03:10,561 Speaker 1: as humans and the only way to do that really 64 00:03:10,721 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: is to look with compassion on ourselves as well as 65 00:03:14,441 --> 00:03:18,961 Speaker 1: those around us. So, yeah, I've not been coping with 66 00:03:19,121 --> 00:03:23,241 Speaker 1: life lots of times a wrong road, but I try 67 00:03:23,281 --> 00:03:26,481 Speaker 1: to look at it now and go I've learned from 68 00:03:26,481 --> 00:03:29,321 Speaker 1: that experience and I'm a better person than I was, 69 00:03:29,921 --> 00:03:32,801 Speaker 1: and I'll be a better person still going forward. The 70 00:03:32,841 --> 00:03:35,841 Speaker 1: more I learn, And if you have that sort of attitude, 71 00:03:36,441 --> 00:03:39,801 Speaker 1: then I think it's a lot easier to be kinder 72 00:03:39,801 --> 00:03:43,961 Speaker 1: to yourself and others and develop better relationships. 73 00:03:44,361 --> 00:03:47,321 Speaker 4: Is she not the most You're amazing woman ever? Amazing? 74 00:03:47,361 --> 00:03:50,281 Speaker 4: I really want to rewind it back to when you 75 00:03:50,321 --> 00:03:52,601 Speaker 4: were a young mum. You had my older brother, Matt, 76 00:03:52,681 --> 00:03:55,361 Speaker 4: and then eighteen months later you had me. Can you 77 00:03:55,401 --> 00:03:57,801 Speaker 4: tell us a little bit about your life as a 78 00:03:57,841 --> 00:04:01,321 Speaker 4: young mum with my father and how that dynamic was 79 00:04:01,921 --> 00:04:04,001 Speaker 4: when I got really sick? Kind of in a nutshell 80 00:04:04,201 --> 00:04:05,241 Speaker 4: that story. 81 00:04:05,481 --> 00:04:09,161 Speaker 1: It's quite a complicated story really because your father and 82 00:04:09,201 --> 00:04:14,881 Speaker 1: I probably I think we met in September, got engaged 83 00:04:14,921 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: in December, and were married in April. 84 00:04:17,641 --> 00:04:19,961 Speaker 4: Wow, you mum. 85 00:04:19,921 --> 00:04:21,681 Speaker 1: I was just turned twenty. 86 00:04:22,081 --> 00:04:22,321 Speaker 4: Wow. 87 00:04:22,761 --> 00:04:25,601 Speaker 1: A lot of it was to do with like the 88 00:04:25,681 --> 00:04:28,641 Speaker 1: dynamics of my family before I got to that stage. 89 00:04:28,681 --> 00:04:33,361 Speaker 1: Is my father really chose him as my husband? He 90 00:04:33,721 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: pretty much put it out there to me, you need 91 00:04:35,681 --> 00:04:38,441 Speaker 1: to marry this guy that you're dating because no one 92 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,641 Speaker 1: else is probably going to want you. And I knew 93 00:04:42,041 --> 00:04:45,121 Speaker 1: pretty much that I wasn't in love with him, but 94 00:04:45,641 --> 00:04:48,841 Speaker 1: I went along with what Dad wanted. The day of 95 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,841 Speaker 1: the wedding, I wanted to call it off. I was like, 96 00:04:51,961 --> 00:04:54,441 Speaker 1: woke up crying, like I just really don't want to 97 00:04:54,481 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: do this, and my dad said, drink this and gave 98 00:04:57,801 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: me a brandy, which I didn't drink, so that was significant. 99 00:05:01,721 --> 00:05:04,801 Speaker 1: I had a glass of brandy, stopped crying and went 100 00:05:04,841 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: on with it. But I knew, like I cut the 101 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: honeymoon short because I knew that it was not right 102 00:05:12,161 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: for me. And I went home to Mum and Dad's 103 00:05:14,921 --> 00:05:17,241 Speaker 1: house and I said, an, this has just been a 104 00:05:17,361 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: terrible mistake. The rules back then were basically that you 105 00:05:20,681 --> 00:05:23,001 Speaker 1: were a bad person if you slept together or lived 106 00:05:23,041 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: together before you got married. I think if I'd lived 107 00:05:26,201 --> 00:05:28,161 Speaker 1: with him for a week, I would not have gone 108 00:05:28,161 --> 00:05:29,001 Speaker 1: through with that wedding. 109 00:05:29,201 --> 00:05:29,721 Speaker 4: Wow. 110 00:05:30,521 --> 00:05:34,241 Speaker 1: Yeah, but you know, unfortunately, I just played by the 111 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,801 Speaker 1: rules that I was told, So I've cut the honeymoon short. 112 00:05:37,921 --> 00:05:40,441 Speaker 1: Came home and he wasn't a bad person, don't get 113 00:05:40,481 --> 00:05:46,601 Speaker 1: me wrong, but he was very placid and I was 114 00:05:46,961 --> 00:05:50,201 Speaker 1: very fiery, and I had no one to bounce against. 115 00:05:51,401 --> 00:05:54,481 Speaker 1: We were okay as friends, but really missed match as 116 00:05:54,521 --> 00:05:57,521 Speaker 1: a couple, and my dad said to me, turn around 117 00:05:57,521 --> 00:05:59,921 Speaker 1: and go back to your husband. You've made your bed 118 00:06:00,001 --> 00:06:02,561 Speaker 1: and you have to lie on it. Wow. And then 119 00:06:02,681 --> 00:06:05,321 Speaker 1: he also said, in a year's time, if you still 120 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: don't want to go ahead with this marriage anymore, you 121 00:06:08,481 --> 00:06:12,441 Speaker 1: can come back to me and then we'll talk about it. Well, 122 00:06:13,161 --> 00:06:15,921 Speaker 1: a year later, I was just pregnant with Matt, so 123 00:06:16,481 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: I decided that the universe had spoken, I was pregnant, 124 00:06:20,201 --> 00:06:22,921 Speaker 1: that this marriage was meant to be, and I just 125 00:06:23,001 --> 00:06:23,761 Speaker 1: carry on with it. 126 00:06:23,961 --> 00:06:25,361 Speaker 4: Yeah, so you had Matt. 127 00:06:26,201 --> 00:06:30,041 Speaker 1: So I had Matt, and I desperately wanted another child. 128 00:06:30,281 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: I don't think Dean was very sold on parenting at all, 129 00:06:34,281 --> 00:06:37,881 Speaker 1: but he went along with what I wanted, and I 130 00:06:38,001 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: wanted to have a second child. I had trouble conceivings 131 00:06:41,481 --> 00:06:44,241 Speaker 1: and I really didn't want to sleep with him, so 132 00:06:44,361 --> 00:06:48,441 Speaker 1: I got fertility drugs to conceive you. So I only 133 00:06:48,481 --> 00:06:52,481 Speaker 1: had to go there one time and to laugh about 134 00:06:52,921 --> 00:06:55,961 Speaker 1: reading between the lines, Yeah, one. 135 00:06:55,880 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 4: Time it done. I'm sure someone that are listening just 136 00:07:00,521 --> 00:07:03,841 Speaker 4: been like, yep, got what. 137 00:07:03,801 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: I wanted back to baby, and all through the pregnancy, 138 00:07:07,721 --> 00:07:10,521 Speaker 1: I just I pretty much knew it was not going 139 00:07:10,561 --> 00:07:14,241 Speaker 1: to survive. Yeah, and I left him when you were 140 00:07:14,761 --> 00:07:17,641 Speaker 1: already sick. I think it was about six weeks old 141 00:07:17,681 --> 00:07:20,681 Speaker 1: you started to get sick, and I left him when 142 00:07:20,721 --> 00:07:23,641 Speaker 1: you were eight weeks old, so Matt wasn't quite too 143 00:07:24,041 --> 00:07:26,441 Speaker 1: and you were eight weeks old, and I jumped on 144 00:07:26,481 --> 00:07:29,761 Speaker 1: a plane with my two babies and went back to 145 00:07:29,761 --> 00:07:33,321 Speaker 1: New Zealand and within twenty four hours you were in 146 00:07:33,401 --> 00:07:37,481 Speaker 1: hospital and bleeding from the bow. So it was all 147 00:07:37,721 --> 00:07:40,801 Speaker 1: very dramatic. And at the stage, I'm twenty four. 148 00:07:41,801 --> 00:07:46,241 Speaker 4: And that call that you made to yeah, you were 149 00:07:46,241 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 4: what I said. 150 00:07:47,001 --> 00:07:50,481 Speaker 1: You were in hospital for the best part of six months, 151 00:07:50,521 --> 00:07:54,081 Speaker 1: like in and out and in and out, because salmonella 152 00:07:54,121 --> 00:07:58,841 Speaker 1: was really having devastating effects on your system. That it 153 00:07:58,961 --> 00:08:01,161 Speaker 1: was like they were concerned that your kidneys were going 154 00:08:01,241 --> 00:08:04,161 Speaker 1: to break down, that sort of thing. And at one 155 00:08:04,241 --> 00:08:07,201 Speaker 1: stage doctor said to me that they really were concerned 156 00:08:07,201 --> 00:08:10,521 Speaker 1: that you weren't going to make it. So I rang 157 00:08:10,681 --> 00:08:14,681 Speaker 1: Dean and told him that there were concerns about that, 158 00:08:15,001 --> 00:08:18,161 Speaker 1: and he said, well, yeah, just let me know if 159 00:08:18,201 --> 00:08:20,161 Speaker 1: she dies and I'll see if I can come back 160 00:08:20,201 --> 00:08:20,881 Speaker 1: for the funeral. 161 00:08:23,201 --> 00:08:25,521 Speaker 4: I don't know why I laugh, Am I laughing? I 162 00:08:25,601 --> 00:08:28,801 Speaker 4: just it's actually like so hard to fathom as a 163 00:08:28,881 --> 00:08:32,521 Speaker 4: parent have a dad, Like I don't know why am 164 00:08:32,521 --> 00:08:34,721 Speaker 4: I giggling, but like, oh yeah, let me know if 165 00:08:34,721 --> 00:08:36,441 Speaker 4: she passes, and I will see if I can pop 166 00:08:36,481 --> 00:08:39,281 Speaker 4: over for the funeral of my daughter. Like what. 167 00:08:41,041 --> 00:08:43,441 Speaker 1: I mean? It is weird, But I've always sort of 168 00:08:43,601 --> 00:08:46,521 Speaker 1: justified that he didn't have a bond with you, and 169 00:08:46,561 --> 00:08:48,881 Speaker 1: he didn't have a bond with Matt either. Matt never 170 00:08:48,961 --> 00:08:52,761 Speaker 1: once said dad or asked for him because he worked 171 00:08:52,801 --> 00:08:55,121 Speaker 1: all the time, he was just never there, so there 172 00:08:55,281 --> 00:08:59,161 Speaker 1: was no bond to break. It made it so easy 173 00:08:59,201 --> 00:09:02,041 Speaker 1: for me as a single parent. I didn't have to 174 00:09:02,081 --> 00:09:04,841 Speaker 1: share custody. He didn't care that I took you to 175 00:09:04,881 --> 00:09:05,681 Speaker 1: a other countries. 176 00:09:05,721 --> 00:09:07,281 Speaker 4: Did even fight at all? Did he like he didn't 177 00:09:07,281 --> 00:09:07,481 Speaker 4: want to? 178 00:09:07,561 --> 00:09:10,201 Speaker 1: Didn't He did the opposite. He wrote a letter to 179 00:09:10,281 --> 00:09:13,121 Speaker 1: the judge saying that he was happy for me to 180 00:09:13,161 --> 00:09:14,041 Speaker 1: have full custody. 181 00:09:14,241 --> 00:09:15,321 Speaker 4: Isn't that mind blowing? 182 00:09:15,401 --> 00:09:19,601 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. And I was so grateful, honestly took 183 00:09:19,601 --> 00:09:22,601 Speaker 1: away all the hassles in my life. I didn't have 184 00:09:22,641 --> 00:09:26,441 Speaker 1: to balance anything. But the repercussions I think on the 185 00:09:26,641 --> 00:09:30,081 Speaker 1: children later on, is that it's left both you and 186 00:09:30,121 --> 00:09:34,241 Speaker 1: Matt feeling unwanted, Whereas I think it was a continuation 187 00:09:34,401 --> 00:09:36,881 Speaker 1: for him of what he'd always done is tried to 188 00:09:36,921 --> 00:09:41,441 Speaker 1: give me what I wanted, but not succeeding, and that 189 00:09:41,561 --> 00:09:44,241 Speaker 1: was just one more on the list of not succeeding. 190 00:09:44,361 --> 00:09:47,121 Speaker 4: I think you've made up for those feelings of not 191 00:09:47,241 --> 00:09:50,321 Speaker 4: being wanted and being abandoned. I think because our bond 192 00:09:50,401 --> 00:09:54,241 Speaker 4: is so strong, you're enough for me. Like, obviously, as 193 00:09:54,241 --> 00:09:56,121 Speaker 4: a young girl, that was really hard because I was like, 194 00:09:56,241 --> 00:09:58,481 Speaker 4: why does my real dad not want me? And why 195 00:09:58,601 --> 00:10:02,441 Speaker 4: is my stepdad fucking hate my guards? Like major daddy issues, right, 196 00:10:02,881 --> 00:10:04,841 Speaker 4: But as I've grown up and done my own inner 197 00:10:04,841 --> 00:10:07,601 Speaker 4: word and webso bonded now I feel like you are 198 00:10:07,761 --> 00:10:10,001 Speaker 4: more than enough. And I know some people don't even 199 00:10:10,081 --> 00:10:13,121 Speaker 4: have either parents, so I feel so grateful for that. 200 00:10:14,001 --> 00:10:17,401 Speaker 4: And then from there comes along my stepdad. 201 00:10:18,041 --> 00:10:20,641 Speaker 1: So I'd had a couple of years as a single 202 00:10:20,721 --> 00:10:24,641 Speaker 1: mum and we were living in a rural situation, so 203 00:10:24,721 --> 00:10:27,241 Speaker 1: obviously not meeting a lot of people. I mean, I 204 00:10:27,281 --> 00:10:30,121 Speaker 1: was divorced at twenty five, with two small children in 205 00:10:30,161 --> 00:10:33,761 Speaker 1: the house with me and really not a lot of 206 00:10:33,881 --> 00:10:37,961 Speaker 1: adult company, so I was pretty lonely. I'd had one 207 00:10:38,041 --> 00:10:42,441 Speaker 1: relationship that I ended because I just wasn't working for me, 208 00:10:42,481 --> 00:10:45,441 Speaker 1: and you really loved him, so that was hard. But 209 00:10:45,841 --> 00:10:49,161 Speaker 1: when I met Andrew, it was at a primary school 210 00:10:49,361 --> 00:10:53,321 Speaker 1: bar dance and some people up the road had invited 211 00:10:53,361 --> 00:10:56,161 Speaker 1: me to go meet their friends and go to this 212 00:10:56,281 --> 00:10:59,321 Speaker 1: bar dance which was raising money for the local primary school, 213 00:11:00,081 --> 00:11:03,681 Speaker 1: and I really enjoyed it. It was adult company. He 214 00:11:03,841 --> 00:11:07,561 Speaker 1: was there with his girlfriend at the time, and I 215 00:11:07,721 --> 00:11:10,441 Speaker 1: just had a great time chatting to adults, you know, 216 00:11:10,721 --> 00:11:14,921 Speaker 1: enjoying the barn dance. Nice evening went home, and about 217 00:11:15,001 --> 00:11:18,441 Speaker 1: three months later, these same friends that had hosted that 218 00:11:18,521 --> 00:11:21,521 Speaker 1: evening came back to me and said, oh, our friend Andrew, 219 00:11:21,601 --> 00:11:25,401 Speaker 1: he really wants your phone number. And I was like, oh, 220 00:11:25,481 --> 00:11:27,961 Speaker 1: that's awesome, Like he looked like a nice guy as 221 00:11:27,961 --> 00:11:31,201 Speaker 1: he'd broken up with his girlfriend. And they were like, yep, no, 222 00:11:31,281 --> 00:11:33,521 Speaker 1: that's all over. But he's been wanting your number for 223 00:11:33,601 --> 00:11:37,041 Speaker 1: three months and we haven't given it to him because 224 00:11:37,041 --> 00:11:39,641 Speaker 1: we don't think he's good enough for you. And I 225 00:11:39,721 --> 00:11:42,161 Speaker 1: was like, Oh, that's really weird. But I can make 226 00:11:42,241 --> 00:11:45,921 Speaker 1: up my own decisions about people. That's okay, give him 227 00:11:45,921 --> 00:11:48,081 Speaker 1: my number and they were really insistent, now we don't 228 00:11:48,121 --> 00:11:51,241 Speaker 1: really want to. And the end we agreed to go 229 00:11:51,281 --> 00:11:55,001 Speaker 1: on a first date that involved this wife of this 230 00:11:55,081 --> 00:11:59,201 Speaker 1: couple and her four kids and me and my two kids, 231 00:11:59,241 --> 00:12:01,481 Speaker 1: and he would take the two of us out so 232 00:12:01,561 --> 00:12:03,921 Speaker 1: I could see if I thought he was creepy or 233 00:12:04,401 --> 00:12:06,081 Speaker 1: like they were not good enough. 234 00:12:06,841 --> 00:12:08,481 Speaker 4: Did I like Andrew? Straight up? 235 00:12:09,321 --> 00:12:11,601 Speaker 1: He saved in life that first date. 236 00:12:12,241 --> 00:12:13,361 Speaker 4: Oh that's right. In the water. 237 00:12:13,601 --> 00:12:15,401 Speaker 1: Part of the date was we all went for a 238 00:12:15,441 --> 00:12:19,041 Speaker 1: walk at the beach. You stepped out and it must 239 00:12:19,041 --> 00:12:22,921 Speaker 1: have been like a deep drop. Next minute, there's no 240 00:12:23,161 --> 00:12:26,761 Speaker 1: ash anywhere. We're all looking at each other as adults, 241 00:12:26,761 --> 00:12:28,801 Speaker 1: and he just leapt into the water and dragged you 242 00:12:28,841 --> 00:12:33,041 Speaker 1: off the bottom. So like to me, it was instant hero. 243 00:12:33,801 --> 00:12:36,561 Speaker 4: True wow. That would have been a really big attraction 244 00:12:36,641 --> 00:12:37,561 Speaker 4: of like this man. 245 00:12:37,761 --> 00:12:40,841 Speaker 1: Wow. On the same date, there was a woman who 246 00:12:40,961 --> 00:12:44,001 Speaker 1: was parked somewhere and her car had a flat tire 247 00:12:44,401 --> 00:12:46,761 Speaker 1: and he'd leaped out and gone and changed your tire 248 00:12:46,881 --> 00:12:51,681 Speaker 1: for us. So I'm getting the whole hero opening the 249 00:12:51,841 --> 00:12:55,521 Speaker 1: door for me, fussing over my kids, laughing with you, 250 00:12:56,001 --> 00:12:59,721 Speaker 1: and I was like starved of affectionate, I think basically 251 00:13:00,161 --> 00:13:02,561 Speaker 1: and that he just looked like the best thing ever. 252 00:13:02,801 --> 00:13:06,921 Speaker 4: You obviously started dating. When did things turn because it 253 00:13:06,961 --> 00:13:08,241 Speaker 4: was quite quickly, wasn't it. 254 00:13:08,761 --> 00:13:13,361 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was again a fast relationship. So we were 255 00:13:13,401 --> 00:13:18,681 Speaker 1: living together probably within about three months of meeting Wow, 256 00:13:19,041 --> 00:13:21,641 Speaker 1: And we probably saw each other every night in that 257 00:13:21,761 --> 00:13:22,321 Speaker 1: lead out. 258 00:13:22,321 --> 00:13:24,241 Speaker 4: And Matt and I enjoyed his company, did we as 259 00:13:24,281 --> 00:13:24,721 Speaker 4: young kids. 260 00:13:25,841 --> 00:13:29,001 Speaker 1: He was really good with you. He was awesome, especially Matt, 261 00:13:29,321 --> 00:13:31,641 Speaker 1: because you were just that little bit younger, so you know, 262 00:13:31,761 --> 00:13:36,361 Speaker 1: Mummy's girl. But he took Matt, who was turning five, 263 00:13:37,041 --> 00:13:40,561 Speaker 1: out on a motorbike on the farm and rides in 264 00:13:40,601 --> 00:13:44,601 Speaker 1: a truck and out amongst the animals, and like, Matt 265 00:13:44,921 --> 00:13:49,361 Speaker 1: absolutely adored Umn. Within a week of living together, I 266 00:13:49,401 --> 00:13:52,921 Speaker 1: can remember an incident that should have or did raise 267 00:13:53,121 --> 00:13:56,441 Speaker 1: red flags, Like Matt was being a pain and he 268 00:13:56,561 --> 00:13:58,401 Speaker 1: was in the bath and I think he was like 269 00:13:58,921 --> 00:14:01,761 Speaker 1: splashing water at you, and you didn't want that hre 270 00:14:01,961 --> 00:14:03,761 Speaker 1: just to bath you together when you were that little 271 00:14:04,321 --> 00:14:07,321 Speaker 1: Andrew walked to the bathroom and grabbed him by the 272 00:14:07,481 --> 00:14:11,681 Speaker 1: arm and smacked him across his button, and he had 273 00:14:11,721 --> 00:14:14,681 Speaker 1: like really big hands, and this is a small kid, 274 00:14:15,681 --> 00:14:20,681 Speaker 1: and I just remember seeing this handprint on my child's butt. 275 00:14:21,561 --> 00:14:23,161 Speaker 1: You know. It was a huge hand and it was 276 00:14:23,281 --> 00:14:27,001 Speaker 1: just shocking. And I just turned around to him then 277 00:14:27,041 --> 00:14:30,481 Speaker 1: and I said, if you ever lay a finger on 278 00:14:30,481 --> 00:14:33,681 Speaker 1: one of my kids again, I'm out of here. You'll 279 00:14:33,721 --> 00:14:39,201 Speaker 1: never see me again. And I was just so so 280 00:14:39,441 --> 00:14:40,281 Speaker 1: upset about it. 281 00:14:40,361 --> 00:14:41,201 Speaker 4: Did he say sorry? 282 00:14:42,121 --> 00:14:44,801 Speaker 1: Yeah, he did say sorry, and he promised me it 283 00:14:44,841 --> 00:14:47,881 Speaker 1: would never happen again. But the reality of it was 284 00:14:48,041 --> 00:14:51,801 Speaker 1: it didn't happen again. I never saw him do it again. 285 00:14:52,081 --> 00:14:53,481 Speaker 1: He made sure I wasn't watching. 286 00:14:54,841 --> 00:14:55,481 Speaker 4: He was good at that. 287 00:14:56,081 --> 00:14:59,961 Speaker 1: Yeah, So he was very good at taking situations like 288 00:15:00,121 --> 00:15:02,721 Speaker 1: I promise you will never see me do that again. 289 00:15:02,921 --> 00:15:04,641 Speaker 4: Well I didn't manipulative. 290 00:15:05,121 --> 00:15:06,761 Speaker 1: Yeah, didn't mean it didn't happen. 291 00:15:08,921 --> 00:15:10,601 Speaker 4: That's right, because I don't know if I've told on 292 00:15:10,641 --> 00:15:13,321 Speaker 4: the podcast. But when I was older, he would do 293 00:15:13,401 --> 00:15:15,681 Speaker 4: things when you weren't around. Because that's the questions I've 294 00:15:15,681 --> 00:15:17,881 Speaker 4: gotten when I've talked about my upbringing, is like, why 295 00:15:17,881 --> 00:15:19,721 Speaker 4: did your mum allow that to happen. I'm like, she 296 00:15:19,841 --> 00:15:22,681 Speaker 4: wasn't there, she was working. He would always do these 297 00:15:22,681 --> 00:15:24,961 Speaker 4: things when she wasn't there. So then when Mum would 298 00:15:24,961 --> 00:15:27,081 Speaker 4: come home and I would tell her He would then 299 00:15:27,121 --> 00:15:30,321 Speaker 4: be like, don't you fucking lie to your mother? How disrespectful? 300 00:15:30,401 --> 00:15:32,761 Speaker 4: Go to your room, And then Mum, you're caught in 301 00:15:32,761 --> 00:15:35,401 Speaker 4: the middle being like do I believe my grown ass 302 00:15:35,481 --> 00:15:38,281 Speaker 4: husband or my teenage daughter? Like you know what I mean, 303 00:15:38,361 --> 00:15:41,241 Speaker 4: Like who do I believe? And I looked so hard 304 00:15:41,281 --> 00:15:41,601 Speaker 4: for you. 305 00:15:42,161 --> 00:15:45,601 Speaker 1: It was because I wanted to believe him. Before we 306 00:15:45,721 --> 00:15:48,281 Speaker 1: left New Zealand, there were a lot of people we 307 00:15:48,361 --> 00:15:52,201 Speaker 1: knew who had conversations with me, saying he is way 308 00:15:52,241 --> 00:15:55,601 Speaker 1: too strict on those kids. You've got to get him 309 00:15:55,641 --> 00:15:57,201 Speaker 1: to ease up on them, like they are going to 310 00:15:57,321 --> 00:16:00,241 Speaker 1: end up painting him. He is so strict. And he 311 00:16:00,321 --> 00:16:03,721 Speaker 1: convinced me that he was creating really good morals and 312 00:16:03,721 --> 00:16:06,721 Speaker 1: ethics in you, and that they were just too slack 313 00:16:06,801 --> 00:16:10,801 Speaker 1: with their children. So it was really good at playing 314 00:16:11,081 --> 00:16:15,081 Speaker 1: with my mind. Yes, right from the start, I mean, 315 00:16:15,121 --> 00:16:17,321 Speaker 1: and at this stage I didn't know, but he was 316 00:16:17,361 --> 00:16:20,841 Speaker 1: having an affair, and I'm sure the main reason we 317 00:16:20,961 --> 00:16:23,601 Speaker 1: actually came to Australia was he needed to get out 318 00:16:23,641 --> 00:16:25,561 Speaker 1: of town fast because it was going to be coming 319 00:16:25,601 --> 00:16:26,361 Speaker 1: to my attention. 320 00:16:28,201 --> 00:16:31,081 Speaker 4: Out of us three kids, so there's Matt, my older 321 00:16:31,081 --> 00:16:34,121 Speaker 4: brother Craig, my younger brother, so Andrew is Craig's father 322 00:16:34,441 --> 00:16:37,041 Speaker 4: was Matt, and I obviously have a different dad out 323 00:16:37,081 --> 00:16:38,921 Speaker 4: of the three of us. You've always said that I 324 00:16:39,041 --> 00:16:41,281 Speaker 4: was his most triggering. Why do you think I triggered 325 00:16:41,361 --> 00:16:42,721 Speaker 4: and bothered him the most? 326 00:16:43,241 --> 00:16:46,801 Speaker 1: Yeah, it always seemed like a love hate relationship between 327 00:16:46,841 --> 00:16:50,441 Speaker 1: you and him. Either he was giggling and laughing with you, 328 00:16:50,521 --> 00:16:53,201 Speaker 1: like secret jokes that the rest of us didn't know about, 329 00:16:53,241 --> 00:16:56,401 Speaker 1: and you two were getting on really well, or then 330 00:16:56,561 --> 00:16:59,281 Speaker 1: something would always happen and he would like in the 331 00:16:59,321 --> 00:17:02,801 Speaker 1: blink of an eye, suddenly be saying to you, go 332 00:17:02,881 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 1: to your room, like I've had enough of you. And 333 00:17:05,441 --> 00:17:08,641 Speaker 1: it used to be like, I don't even understand what's 334 00:17:08,641 --> 00:17:11,881 Speaker 1: going on here. One minute, it's all love and light 335 00:17:11,961 --> 00:17:14,161 Speaker 1: between you, and you're the best of friends. You too, 336 00:17:14,441 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 1: like I felt like the outsider because you got on 337 00:17:17,761 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: so well at times and then it just flip. But 338 00:17:21,801 --> 00:17:25,401 Speaker 1: he did that with all of you. But for some reason, 339 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,561 Speaker 1: I think because you ask questions and you weren't as 340 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,441 Speaker 1: willing to take his word for things as the boys were. 341 00:17:32,761 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think as a young girl, my intuition, I 342 00:17:35,481 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 4: don't know, there was some sense of like unsafety and 343 00:17:37,961 --> 00:17:41,041 Speaker 4: not certainty with him, and I did question a lot, 344 00:17:41,281 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 4: and then as I got older, I think I argued 345 00:17:43,801 --> 00:17:46,321 Speaker 4: back more than the two boys, even though I was scared. 346 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,641 Speaker 4: I was just like, no, you're right. Yeah. 347 00:17:49,761 --> 00:17:53,281 Speaker 1: The boys were definitely much more accepting, and even now 348 00:17:53,561 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: they look back on those days and see a lot 349 00:17:56,681 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: less conflict. They just don't tend to remember all the conflict. 350 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 4: I feel like I've bought it all to the surface 351 00:18:03,441 --> 00:18:04,801 Speaker 4: so I can heel through it. I feel like the 352 00:18:04,801 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 4: boys have kind of parked and suppressed it because it's like, 353 00:18:07,681 --> 00:18:10,561 Speaker 4: that's my old life. Don't want to go there. Let's 354 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 4: fast forward to when I'm sixteen and we're really not 355 00:18:14,441 --> 00:18:17,400 Speaker 4: getting along. Like life at home for me and my 356 00:18:17,521 --> 00:18:20,801 Speaker 4: experience was really hard. You were working, you would leave it, 357 00:18:21,001 --> 00:18:22,961 Speaker 4: I don't know, five something in the morning, not get 358 00:18:22,961 --> 00:18:25,161 Speaker 4: home till six at night, so I didn't really see 359 00:18:25,201 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 4: you much. Saw a lot more of him hated being home. 360 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 4: And then we obviously had a massive blow up and 361 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:32,761 Speaker 4: he texted me and told me to pack my things 362 00:18:32,801 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 4: and leave, and as a sixteen year old girl, I 363 00:18:35,441 --> 00:18:37,360 Speaker 4: was like, holy fuck, what the fuck are we going 364 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 4: to do? I was lucky I had a partner at 365 00:18:38,921 --> 00:18:41,521 Speaker 4: that time, and I packed my things and I left 366 00:18:41,521 --> 00:18:43,321 Speaker 4: because I was like, I don't want to be here anyway. 367 00:18:43,921 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 4: I fucking hate him. So I was so scared, but 368 00:18:46,481 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 4: I was also excited, like, oh my gosh, I'm free, 369 00:18:48,721 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 4: like I won't have to see him ever again. And 370 00:18:50,761 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 4: he hadn't gone to you, asked you, consulted with you. 371 00:18:53,321 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 4: So when I told you, you were just like, what, like, 372 00:18:55,441 --> 00:18:56,121 Speaker 4: what's happened? 373 00:18:56,321 --> 00:18:59,561 Speaker 1: And when it was so shocking. I'd been the brid 374 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: winner basically for a few years at that stage, so 375 00:19:03,441 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 1: I wasn't spending much time. I was away, as you said, 376 00:19:06,481 --> 00:19:08,801 Speaker 1: a lot. I never knew what I was going to 377 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,041 Speaker 1: come home to in terms of you and him, because 378 00:19:12,041 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: you fought so much. I can just remember like she's gone, 379 00:19:17,201 --> 00:19:21,041 Speaker 1: just boughting my eyes out, like no, seriously, And my 380 00:19:21,201 --> 00:19:23,761 Speaker 1: instinct was, of course, I need to get my daughter back. 381 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 1: I need to get in the car and go and 382 00:19:25,441 --> 00:19:28,640 Speaker 1: get here. But then I thought, well, I knew the 383 00:19:28,681 --> 00:19:31,801 Speaker 1: family that you were staying with, and I knew that 384 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:36,801 Speaker 1: they were much more calm and stable, and yeah, they 385 00:19:36,801 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 1: thought the world of you, And it was like, I 386 00:19:38,721 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: have to come to the reality that my daughter is 387 00:19:41,721 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: not happy here, and he's triggered here, and this was 388 00:19:46,321 --> 00:19:51,001 Speaker 1: reverberating out on everybody, So what is actually best for 389 00:19:51,201 --> 00:19:53,521 Speaker 1: my child? I came to the conclusion that it was 390 00:19:53,721 --> 00:19:57,041 Speaker 1: just to not be there. I think I had this 391 00:19:57,321 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 1: story in the back of my head that you know, 392 00:20:00,041 --> 00:20:02,641 Speaker 1: my daughter's sixteen. You know, the kids are growing up 393 00:20:02,801 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: in a couple of years time, everybody, he's going to 394 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,561 Speaker 1: have flown the nest anyway, and then maybe he'll be calmer. 395 00:20:09,321 --> 00:20:12,841 Speaker 1: You know. I was still invested enough in the marriage 396 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: that thinking he'll calm down when he doesn't have to 397 00:20:16,561 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: live with all the kids. But I really thought it 398 00:20:20,321 --> 00:20:23,001 Speaker 1: was best for you to not be there. He didn't 399 00:20:23,001 --> 00:20:25,521 Speaker 1: want to have a bar of you ever again. But 400 00:20:25,561 --> 00:20:27,521 Speaker 1: for me, it was just like, Okay, we're not under 401 00:20:27,561 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 1: the same roof, but you know, nothing's going to change 402 00:20:30,201 --> 00:20:31,641 Speaker 1: as far as our relationship. 403 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:37,241 Speaker 4: What would you say in your marriage and life with him? 404 00:20:37,321 --> 00:20:39,961 Speaker 4: What was the hardest moment for you? 405 00:20:40,681 --> 00:20:45,561 Speaker 1: The actual breakup was the hardest for me personally. There's 406 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:49,521 Speaker 1: so many disappointments, Like right from that first red flag, 407 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 1: there was disappointment after disappointment, you know, the way he 408 00:20:53,001 --> 00:20:57,681 Speaker 1: handled things, the way he behaved in situations like he 409 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 1: was very explosive and so narcissistic that I didn't realize 410 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: all the games that were being played with my head. 411 00:21:07,681 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: I was this corporate person going to work and playing 412 00:21:10,721 --> 00:21:14,001 Speaker 1: that role, and then I was coming home and he 413 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: was making me sleep outside with the dog because I 414 00:21:16,801 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: snored too loud. I would literally sleep on the back 415 00:21:21,921 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: deck with the dog at night and then get up 416 00:21:24,481 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: and put my clothes on and go and be a 417 00:21:26,721 --> 00:21:30,041 Speaker 1: corporate boss. There was a time when because Matt had 418 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: left home, he came home after drinking one night and 419 00:21:34,201 --> 00:21:36,360 Speaker 1: he was trying to sneak into the house and he 420 00:21:36,441 --> 00:21:39,241 Speaker 1: came up around the back deck and found me sleeping 421 00:21:39,281 --> 00:21:42,801 Speaker 1: with the dog, and he just went inside and went 422 00:21:43,041 --> 00:21:47,721 Speaker 1: absolutely ballistic at Andrew. He just completely lost his shit. 423 00:21:48,521 --> 00:21:53,001 Speaker 1: I think the realization for me came when we'd split up, 424 00:21:53,721 --> 00:21:56,561 Speaker 1: and I think it's really important thing that I learned 425 00:21:57,201 --> 00:21:59,961 Speaker 1: was there's a saying that, and I'm saying it completely wrong. 426 00:22:00,001 --> 00:22:02,281 Speaker 1: But this is the gist of the story. If you 427 00:22:02,441 --> 00:22:06,441 Speaker 1: rescue a lion from a trap, for example, and it's injured, 428 00:22:06,761 --> 00:22:09,761 Speaker 1: don't expect it not to eat you when it's hungry, 429 00:22:09,761 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: because it's still a lion. And that's the analogy that 430 00:22:14,201 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: really got me to realize that Andrew's basically a snake 431 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,521 Speaker 1: and he was going to behave really badly and that's 432 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:25,001 Speaker 1: the character that he's got. This is my opinion, this 433 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,761 Speaker 1: is my truth. Whereas I was trying to live by 434 00:22:28,761 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 1: the idea that you know, I would never do this 435 00:22:31,441 --> 00:22:34,481 Speaker 1: to him. So of course he's not really hitting my children, 436 00:22:34,761 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: he's not really driving past them when it's raining. Of 437 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,041 Speaker 1: course he's not. I would never do that, So why 438 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:44,041 Speaker 1: would he do that? And that's the thinking that had 439 00:22:44,041 --> 00:22:46,761 Speaker 1: got me stuck where I couldn't see him for what 440 00:22:46,801 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: he really was. 441 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 5: How long were you in this marriage. 442 00:22:50,521 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 1: For Wendy seventeen years? 443 00:22:53,041 --> 00:22:55,321 Speaker 5: When did you first find out about the affairs as well? 444 00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 5: And was that what made you leave? 445 00:22:57,281 --> 00:23:01,921 Speaker 1: During that seventeen years, there'd been at least three times 446 00:23:01,961 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: when people had either rung me in the middle of 447 00:23:04,481 --> 00:23:06,680 Speaker 1: the night say do you know what your husband's doing? 448 00:23:07,281 --> 00:23:10,241 Speaker 1: There'd been all these warning signs that he was having 449 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:13,681 Speaker 1: an affair, but he always managed to talk his way 450 00:23:13,681 --> 00:23:14,161 Speaker 1: out of it. 451 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:16,801 Speaker 4: He makes you feel crazy, hey, He'd be like, if 452 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:18,881 Speaker 4: you'd accuse it, that's disgusting. Is that what you're doing 453 00:23:19,001 --> 00:23:20,041 Speaker 4: How could you even think of that? 454 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: Like, exactly what sort of person are you? 455 00:23:23,921 --> 00:23:24,001 Speaker 4: Like? 456 00:23:24,201 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: You are sick, you are mental? If you can think 457 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 1: that about me, I just fear it even going there. 458 00:23:29,961 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 1: I had friends who offered to pay for a private 459 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,321 Speaker 1: investigator if I'd let them do it, but I was like, now, 460 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: what does that say about me that I don't trust him? 461 00:23:39,360 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 5: Looking out for you too? 462 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:46,001 Speaker 1: By the same yeah, the last year he was like distant, depressed, 463 00:23:46,681 --> 00:23:49,241 Speaker 1: and I spent that year trying to find ways that 464 00:23:49,281 --> 00:23:52,041 Speaker 1: I could be a better wife so he would want 465 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: to be around me. And then one day I was 466 00:23:58,441 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: making his favorite meal for the barbecue, marinating some lamb. 467 00:24:03,681 --> 00:24:06,521 Speaker 1: I can remember it. That was like doing a thing, 468 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: and the phone rang and it was just like a 469 00:24:08,521 --> 00:24:12,961 Speaker 1: landline back then. And answered the phone and this guy said, oh, 470 00:24:13,041 --> 00:24:15,801 Speaker 1: my name's Mark. I think it's time we had a talk. 471 00:24:16,721 --> 00:24:19,321 Speaker 1: And I went, oh, okay, who are you Mark? And 472 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:22,961 Speaker 1: he said, oh, I'm I won't say a name her 473 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 1: husband And I was like, okay, so who's she? And 474 00:24:26,481 --> 00:24:29,521 Speaker 1: he said you can't tell me, you don't know. And 475 00:24:29,561 --> 00:24:31,961 Speaker 1: I said, what are you talking about? And he said, well, 476 00:24:32,041 --> 00:24:36,041 Speaker 1: right now, my wife and your husband are round house hunting. 477 00:24:36,801 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 5: Oh my gosh, how devastating. 478 00:24:39,521 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: And I was just like, you know, and then he 479 00:24:41,681 --> 00:24:45,281 Speaker 1: started to tell me information that he couldn't possibly know 480 00:24:46,241 --> 00:24:50,321 Speaker 1: unless this was true, and it was nice. It had 481 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 1: been going for over a year that he knew of, 482 00:24:53,041 --> 00:24:55,001 Speaker 1: so I don't know even it could have been longer 483 00:24:55,041 --> 00:24:58,561 Speaker 1: than that. So yeah, I got off the phone, and 484 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: then I rang his number and I said, the game's up. 485 00:25:01,761 --> 00:25:03,481 Speaker 1: I just said a call from Mark. I don't think 486 00:25:03,481 --> 00:25:04,640 Speaker 1: you should by the coming home? 487 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 4: And what did he say? 488 00:25:06,241 --> 00:25:08,321 Speaker 1: He was just like, ah, no, I'm going to be 489 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,521 Speaker 1: there soon. And at that stage I rang you. Yeah, 490 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: I remember, and you and Steve came down to the 491 00:25:14,761 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: house for me so that I wouldn't be on my 492 00:25:17,241 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: own if he turned up. And Steve got a lopsmouth 493 00:25:19,961 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: out there straight away, I started pecking his stuff into 494 00:25:23,721 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 1: big rubbish bags, threw them out on the front lawn. 495 00:25:27,681 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 4: Is this the same day where he tried to grab 496 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:30,441 Speaker 4: the dog? 497 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: Yes, so it tried more than once. 498 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,921 Speaker 4: Steve and I were there. I remember when he pulled 499 00:25:36,001 --> 00:25:37,241 Speaker 4: up my nervous system. 500 00:25:37,681 --> 00:25:39,241 Speaker 5: How long had it been since you'd seen him? 501 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:41,321 Speaker 4: I would have been years since i'd seen him, right. 502 00:25:41,201 --> 00:25:43,001 Speaker 1: Moum, I think it would have been here. 503 00:25:43,281 --> 00:25:45,321 Speaker 4: Yes, I was just so nervous, but I felt so 504 00:25:45,441 --> 00:25:48,321 Speaker 4: protected because I had Steve, and even when I left home, 505 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 4: I had left to go be with my boyfriend and 506 00:25:49,921 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 4: his Family's always felt protected because I had Luke and 507 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:54,761 Speaker 4: he was really protective of me as well. So I 508 00:25:54,801 --> 00:25:56,561 Speaker 4: never felt scared of Andrew again because I was like, 509 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,561 Speaker 4: I've got someone now. So Steve and I were there 510 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 4: and Andrew comes. He pulls in really fast, and he 511 00:26:01,961 --> 00:26:05,041 Speaker 4: comes stamping up the stairs and goes into the room, 512 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:07,321 Speaker 4: grab some stuff and then tries to grab the labrador, 513 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,321 Speaker 4: which is like, no, you're not taking our family dog. 514 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,001 Speaker 4: And I remember Steve just grabbed his arm and said 515 00:26:13,041 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 4: and Steve's like so cool and calm. He was like no, mate, 516 00:26:16,281 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 4: and he tried to go him again, and Steve just 517 00:26:17,681 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 4: like karate, chopped his arm, so he had to like leave. 518 00:26:21,201 --> 00:26:24,241 Speaker 4: Then he went back into the bedroom, didn't he, mum 519 00:26:24,441 --> 00:26:27,441 Speaker 4: and lay down? This is yeah, this is so odd. 520 00:26:27,481 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 4: So he went back into the bedroom, laid down, hopped 521 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 4: under the doner and rolled over to go to sleep. 522 00:26:32,721 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 1: And it was the spear bedroom. 523 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,561 Speaker 4: It was, so I was like, get out, mate, I'm 524 00:26:38,561 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 4: gonna say what I did. I carry a little bit 525 00:26:41,001 --> 00:26:43,041 Speaker 4: of shame, some like wow, you psycho, But then I'm 526 00:26:43,041 --> 00:26:46,001 Speaker 4: also like, I was like eighteen nineteen at the time, Mum, 527 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,401 Speaker 4: and I was just all these years of abuse and 528 00:26:48,481 --> 00:26:51,640 Speaker 4: trauma and sadness and fear. It all came out in 529 00:26:51,681 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 4: this moment. I went and got a shoe and I 530 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,281 Speaker 4: went up to his face and I started yelling in 531 00:26:57,360 --> 00:27:00,321 Speaker 4: his face and I said get out, get out, like 532 00:27:00,521 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 4: get out, and Steve and Mum just stood back and 533 00:27:02,801 --> 00:27:04,761 Speaker 4: just allowed me to do my thing. He just laid 534 00:27:04,801 --> 00:27:08,281 Speaker 4: there casually with a smirky, smart ass look on his face, 535 00:27:08,321 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 4: and I grabbed the shoe, which was his shoe, and 536 00:27:11,041 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 4: I whacked him in the head and I said get out. 537 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 4: He didn't move, and I whacked him again, and he 538 00:27:16,681 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 4: got up and he left. I just felt so like 539 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 4: I've got my power back in this moment, which obviously 540 00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:24,041 Speaker 4: isn't nice when you're hitting someone with the shoe, but 541 00:27:24,041 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 4: it was the first time in my life that I 542 00:27:25,681 --> 00:27:29,281 Speaker 4: was like, you can't hurt me, No, you can't hurt me. 543 00:27:29,481 --> 00:27:31,561 Speaker 4: And you know, in that moment, I almost like wanted 544 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,120 Speaker 4: him to so that you, Mum could see I know 545 00:27:34,201 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 4: you believe me at this point, but I wanted you 546 00:27:35,921 --> 00:27:38,721 Speaker 4: to see like who he really was. But I knew 547 00:27:38,721 --> 00:27:41,001 Speaker 4: he wouldn't touch me when they were there, but I 548 00:27:41,041 --> 00:27:42,881 Speaker 4: was like, get out and never come back. 549 00:27:42,961 --> 00:27:44,721 Speaker 5: So did He used to physically hurt you as well 550 00:27:44,721 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 5: when he wasn't around. 551 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yep. 552 00:27:48,721 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: And he used to physically hurt me too. Liked he 553 00:27:50,961 --> 00:27:54,201 Speaker 1: hurt us all but in that last year he would 554 00:27:54,201 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: pretend that he was having bad dreams where he was 555 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 1: chasing a rubber and had to punch the rubber, but 556 00:28:00,041 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 1: he was punching. 557 00:28:00,801 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 4: Me instantly in the bed. 558 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, so I'd wake up getting punched. I guess this 559 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,041 Speaker 1: is probably why the back dick didn't seem so bad, 560 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 1: because if I was in the bead, he was going 561 00:28:11,241 --> 00:28:11,801 Speaker 1: to punch me. 562 00:28:13,321 --> 00:28:16,561 Speaker 4: He did actually stop hitting me at one point. I remember, 563 00:28:16,561 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 4: because Matt and I lived downstairs. There was two bedrooms 564 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 4: right next to each other. Andrews chased me down the 565 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:23,721 Speaker 4: stairs sometimes if we were like in an argument and 566 00:28:23,761 --> 00:28:26,241 Speaker 4: he'd come to whack me. Scary, so scary, and I 567 00:28:26,241 --> 00:28:28,281 Speaker 4: sprinted downstairs and my older brother grabbed me by the 568 00:28:28,321 --> 00:28:30,921 Speaker 4: shoulders and he was like, don't react, don't cry, don't 569 00:28:30,921 --> 00:28:32,721 Speaker 4: say anything. Just let him hit you. He won't even 570 00:28:32,721 --> 00:28:36,041 Speaker 4: touch you again. Just do not react. So he smacked me, 571 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:38,041 Speaker 4: and I stood there and I didn't have any tears, 572 00:28:38,041 --> 00:28:40,161 Speaker 4: I had no reaction. I just stood there and he 573 00:28:40,201 --> 00:28:42,161 Speaker 4: did again, like four or five times, just whacked me 574 00:28:42,201 --> 00:28:45,081 Speaker 4: on the ass, and Matt was there watching, and I 575 00:28:45,161 --> 00:28:47,961 Speaker 4: just maintained eye contact with Matt and just did not react. 576 00:28:48,001 --> 00:28:50,361 Speaker 4: And he never touched me again after that. So I 577 00:28:50,361 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 4: don't know if that was a moment of just like. 578 00:28:51,921 --> 00:28:54,161 Speaker 5: A power thing, yeah, I can hurt her, and wanting 579 00:28:54,201 --> 00:28:54,721 Speaker 5: to see you. 580 00:28:54,801 --> 00:28:57,281 Speaker 4: He wanted to see me crumble. But I was like, no, 581 00:28:57,321 --> 00:28:59,481 Speaker 4: not anymore. And that was the best advice Matt ever 582 00:28:59,521 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 4: gave me, because he never touched me again after that. 583 00:29:02,161 --> 00:29:05,721 Speaker 4: So after all this happened, then things got really bad 584 00:29:05,761 --> 00:29:07,761 Speaker 4: in the way of threats. And I think this is 585 00:29:07,761 --> 00:29:11,121 Speaker 4: a really important conversation because you know, your whole life 586 00:29:11,481 --> 00:29:14,121 Speaker 4: was obviously crumbling around. You'd found out about this affair, 587 00:29:14,801 --> 00:29:18,001 Speaker 4: he'd moved out, but he then started threatening us. And 588 00:29:18,081 --> 00:29:21,081 Speaker 4: we're not just talking like little threats. We're talking like 589 00:29:21,281 --> 00:29:24,361 Speaker 4: I'm going to come and burn the house down, like beware, basically, 590 00:29:24,401 --> 00:29:25,841 Speaker 4: like I'm going to come and kill you, and you 591 00:29:25,881 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 4: went to the police, and the police really didn't do 592 00:29:29,041 --> 00:29:29,801 Speaker 4: much to protect you. 593 00:29:29,921 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 1: Right as soon as I found out about the affair, 594 00:29:32,601 --> 00:29:35,761 Speaker 1: I kicked him out, and he still felt he had 595 00:29:35,961 --> 00:29:39,601 Speaker 1: rights as far as the house, the family. I mean, 596 00:29:39,641 --> 00:29:42,361 Speaker 1: we'd had this conversation. You're married for a long time. 597 00:29:42,841 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: You have conversations about what happens if one of your 598 00:29:45,561 --> 00:29:49,081 Speaker 1: cheats or whatever that had always been, you know, if 599 00:29:49,081 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: one of us cheats, that person just needs to walk away. 600 00:29:52,481 --> 00:29:55,161 Speaker 1: They need to have no claim on anything. But for 601 00:29:55,161 --> 00:29:58,121 Speaker 1: some reason when it actually happened, he was like, you know, no, 602 00:29:58,281 --> 00:30:00,121 Speaker 1: I own this house too, and if I want to 603 00:30:00,161 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: live in it still I will. Because his girlfriend is 604 00:30:05,241 --> 00:30:08,881 Speaker 1: obviously still living with her husband at that stage and 605 00:30:08,921 --> 00:30:11,521 Speaker 1: they hadn't got a place on their own. So for 606 00:30:11,561 --> 00:30:14,761 Speaker 1: about three or four months afterwards, there was this constant 607 00:30:14,801 --> 00:30:17,561 Speaker 1: tussle of him wanting to move back into the house, 608 00:30:18,041 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: me trying to understand what had happened, and there was 609 00:30:21,721 --> 00:30:25,121 Speaker 1: a lot of history between them that was torturing me 610 00:30:25,241 --> 00:30:29,041 Speaker 1: and trying to work my way through trying to understand 611 00:30:29,241 --> 00:30:32,681 Speaker 1: how our kids fitted into all of this. Like you know, 612 00:30:32,801 --> 00:30:37,361 Speaker 1: obviously Craig was still at school and this is his dad. 613 00:30:38,241 --> 00:30:42,441 Speaker 1: So I'm trying to navigate all of that. Andrew got 614 00:30:42,641 --> 00:30:47,121 Speaker 1: more and more angry, and then he started with the threats, 615 00:30:47,121 --> 00:30:48,961 Speaker 1: and it was just like, you know, I will burn 616 00:30:49,001 --> 00:30:51,201 Speaker 1: the house down if you won't let me come back, 617 00:30:51,241 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: and just be aware I've got access to your car. 618 00:30:56,401 --> 00:30:59,801 Speaker 1: So I was just scared all the time, to the 619 00:30:59,881 --> 00:31:03,081 Speaker 1: point where I worked in a building that had a 620 00:31:03,081 --> 00:31:05,881 Speaker 1: lot of security and that was the only I felt 621 00:31:06,041 --> 00:31:08,641 Speaker 1: safe that he couldn't get to me. But I was 622 00:31:08,681 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: still scared that he'd get at my car in the carpet. 623 00:31:12,081 --> 00:31:17,241 Speaker 1: I remember driving home one day and somebody's car was backfiring, 624 00:31:18,121 --> 00:31:21,401 Speaker 1: and I'm hunkering down in the seat because I seriously 625 00:31:21,441 --> 00:31:23,921 Speaker 1: thought that he was out there with a gun trying 626 00:31:23,921 --> 00:31:28,881 Speaker 1: to shoot me. He'd also like Pepper this with conversations 627 00:31:28,961 --> 00:31:31,361 Speaker 1: with me, like, you know, you and I could still 628 00:31:31,361 --> 00:31:34,001 Speaker 1: make a go of it. You and I could still 629 00:31:34,001 --> 00:31:37,201 Speaker 1: get back together. And he suggested that the best way 630 00:31:37,241 --> 00:31:39,841 Speaker 1: to do that would be for him and I to 631 00:31:39,961 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: pack up and move to Tasmania and never have anything 632 00:31:43,761 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: to do with the kids again. It just be the 633 00:31:47,361 --> 00:31:50,961 Speaker 1: two of us and I could go to work and 634 00:31:51,161 --> 00:31:53,401 Speaker 1: he would just do fishing in that because he wasn't 635 00:31:53,441 --> 00:31:57,561 Speaker 1: really interested in working anymore. Oh my, I can remember saying, 636 00:31:57,601 --> 00:32:00,721 Speaker 1: you still don't get that my kids in my first priority. 637 00:32:01,201 --> 00:32:04,161 Speaker 1: His response to that was, that is the problem. 638 00:32:04,561 --> 00:32:07,241 Speaker 3: I love that you've always made your kids your number 639 00:32:07,281 --> 00:32:10,921 Speaker 3: one priority. That's beautiful because so many people being in 640 00:32:10,961 --> 00:32:14,721 Speaker 3: a toxic relationship like that, they really can give everything 641 00:32:14,841 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 3: to their partner and distance himself from their kids. So 642 00:32:18,321 --> 00:32:20,441 Speaker 3: it's beautiful that you've always kept that as your number 643 00:32:20,441 --> 00:32:21,121 Speaker 3: one priority. 644 00:32:21,361 --> 00:32:24,201 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's one day, is suggested, and the next day, 645 00:32:24,241 --> 00:32:25,121 Speaker 1: he's going to kill me. 646 00:32:25,401 --> 00:32:26,881 Speaker 4: And you went to the police, and what did they 647 00:32:26,921 --> 00:32:27,401 Speaker 4: say to you? 648 00:32:28,041 --> 00:32:31,081 Speaker 1: I got some texts from him one night saying that 649 00:32:31,161 --> 00:32:33,161 Speaker 1: he was going to kill me. I went to the 650 00:32:33,201 --> 00:32:37,481 Speaker 1: police station. We can't do anything until something happens. 651 00:32:37,961 --> 00:32:40,521 Speaker 4: Isn't that mind blowing? Like, oh, okay, when he kills you, 652 00:32:40,561 --> 00:32:42,921 Speaker 4: then we'll step in and help. What kind of systems 653 00:32:42,921 --> 00:32:46,841 Speaker 4: that to protect women in domestic abuse of relationships and situations? 654 00:32:47,081 --> 00:32:49,161 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's slightly better now, but it was 655 00:32:49,361 --> 00:32:53,401 Speaker 1: devastating to be told that. And then the next week 656 00:32:53,641 --> 00:32:57,481 Speaker 1: or so in Rabina, a woman and her child were 657 00:32:57,561 --> 00:33:00,241 Speaker 1: killed by her X. That was like a real way 658 00:33:00,321 --> 00:33:03,161 Speaker 1: cap call to me like this is really serious stuff. 659 00:33:03,201 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: He might actually go through with it. 660 00:33:06,121 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 4: So you packed up and left. 661 00:33:07,881 --> 00:33:11,081 Speaker 1: Yeah. I changed my name, I changed my job, I 662 00:33:11,201 --> 00:33:14,641 Speaker 1: changed the state I lived in, and I gave the 663 00:33:14,721 --> 00:33:17,081 Speaker 1: keys to our house because we still had a mortgage 664 00:33:17,161 --> 00:33:19,201 Speaker 1: on it to the bank. And I walked away. 665 00:33:20,001 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 5: Wow, what a strong woman to make that decision. 666 00:33:22,801 --> 00:33:22,921 Speaker 2: Up. 667 00:33:23,201 --> 00:33:25,481 Speaker 4: You, Matt and Craig all left And the only reason 668 00:33:25,521 --> 00:33:27,441 Speaker 4: I didn't go is because I had Steve up here. 669 00:33:27,761 --> 00:33:30,241 Speaker 4: But you guys all left to another state, another town, 670 00:33:30,401 --> 00:33:32,881 Speaker 4: a quiet little town that you've never been to before, 671 00:33:33,201 --> 00:33:34,601 Speaker 4: and started a whole new life. 672 00:33:35,321 --> 00:33:39,281 Speaker 1: Yeah, and we got the dog, yes dog. As soon 673 00:33:39,321 --> 00:33:42,281 Speaker 1: as I left the Gold Coast, I had no contact. 674 00:33:42,401 --> 00:33:44,241 Speaker 1: I've never spoken to him since. 675 00:33:44,601 --> 00:33:47,761 Speaker 4: Wow, I've seen him. I was working out at a gym. 676 00:33:47,921 --> 00:33:49,481 Speaker 4: I'm trying to paint a picture here for you guys. 677 00:33:49,481 --> 00:33:52,081 Speaker 4: So the gym was outdoors, and next to it was 678 00:33:52,281 --> 00:33:54,561 Speaker 4: a glazier So Andrew it was a glass place that 679 00:33:54,601 --> 00:33:56,521 Speaker 4: he worked at. I didn't know he worked there. And 680 00:33:56,561 --> 00:33:58,361 Speaker 4: I was working out at this gym that had like 681 00:33:58,681 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 4: a fence so you could see straight through to this 682 00:34:00,481 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 4: glass company. And I'm training by myself. And there's this 683 00:34:03,761 --> 00:34:05,841 Speaker 4: one man that's always been my life since I was 684 00:34:05,841 --> 00:34:08,121 Speaker 4: a teenager. His name's Ryan, and I'm still friends with 685 00:34:08,161 --> 00:34:10,121 Speaker 4: them to this day. Him and Steve are still really close. 686 00:34:10,561 --> 00:34:12,161 Speaker 4: But it was his gym, so I was training there 687 00:34:12,441 --> 00:34:17,081 Speaker 4: and this ute pulls up and guess who gets out Andrew. 688 00:34:17,521 --> 00:34:20,361 Speaker 4: And he comes to the fence and starts calling me 689 00:34:20,641 --> 00:34:25,841 Speaker 4: all these names. You dirty, fucking slut, you motherfucker. You 690 00:34:25,921 --> 00:34:30,641 Speaker 4: rode my life. I'm gonna get you out, like absolutely 691 00:34:30,801 --> 00:34:35,121 Speaker 4: losing his marbles. My body went into freeze. I completely 692 00:34:35,401 --> 00:34:42,041 Speaker 4: froze Ryan, who's this like six foot huge, musty tattoo 693 00:34:42,241 --> 00:34:43,881 Speaker 4: like looks so scary. 694 00:34:44,001 --> 00:34:44,281 Speaker 1: Ryan. 695 00:34:45,121 --> 00:34:48,161 Speaker 4: He walks over and he goes, what the fuck's going 696 00:34:48,241 --> 00:34:50,641 Speaker 4: on here? And I said to Ryan, he knew this. 697 00:34:51,001 --> 00:34:53,801 Speaker 4: I said, that's my stepdad. Ryan gets out and bolts 698 00:34:53,801 --> 00:34:56,801 Speaker 4: to go and get him. Andrew sprints, jumps in his 699 00:34:56,841 --> 00:35:00,361 Speaker 4: car and leaves. And Ryan went into the glass place 700 00:35:00,401 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 4: and made a complain or whatever, and apparently Andrew never 701 00:35:02,481 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 4: went back. Good. Ryan scared him away. 702 00:35:05,241 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 1: Good. 703 00:35:05,881 --> 00:35:08,561 Speaker 4: In all of this, Mum, like there's been so many 704 00:35:08,561 --> 00:35:10,641 Speaker 4: hard times or whatever, but me and you always talk 705 00:35:10,641 --> 00:35:13,441 Speaker 4: about it that like we wouldn't change any of it. 706 00:35:13,441 --> 00:35:17,401 Speaker 4: It's really made us learn so much about ourselves, about 707 00:35:17,401 --> 00:35:20,841 Speaker 4: other people, about relationships, you know, even me and you 708 00:35:20,921 --> 00:35:23,601 Speaker 4: have spoken about the moments that you know weren't our 709 00:35:23,681 --> 00:35:27,041 Speaker 4: proudest moments in this whole dynamic. And you've learned a 710 00:35:27,041 --> 00:35:30,241 Speaker 4: lot about masculine and feminine energy in relationships, and you 711 00:35:30,241 --> 00:35:33,321 Speaker 4: know how you were always in survival mode, and just 712 00:35:33,361 --> 00:35:35,881 Speaker 4: has been so many cool lessons that we wouldn't be 713 00:35:35,921 --> 00:35:38,601 Speaker 4: the people we are now if we didn't go through 714 00:35:38,641 --> 00:35:40,761 Speaker 4: all that experience, Like, yes, we wouldn't we should upont 715 00:35:40,801 --> 00:35:43,321 Speaker 4: our worst enemy. But we've definitely come out the other side, 716 00:35:43,361 --> 00:35:45,721 Speaker 4: and it's really helped bring us closer, and I think 717 00:35:45,721 --> 00:35:48,121 Speaker 4: it's helped me be the parent I am today. And 718 00:35:48,161 --> 00:35:50,321 Speaker 4: it's also helped me attract a partner that was the 719 00:35:50,361 --> 00:35:53,001 Speaker 4: complete opposite to what I saw growing up. So that 720 00:35:53,081 --> 00:35:56,881 Speaker 4: in itself has been an incredible gift. What has been 721 00:35:57,161 --> 00:36:01,041 Speaker 4: your top couple of lessons you've learned throughout this journey. 722 00:36:01,281 --> 00:36:04,241 Speaker 1: I think probably one of the biggest ones is that 723 00:36:04,721 --> 00:36:09,321 Speaker 1: we're not I'm not here to fix somebody else. Narcissists 724 00:36:09,321 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: are very good at finding women who want to help 725 00:36:12,041 --> 00:36:16,481 Speaker 1: them solve their problems and basically fix them, and that's 726 00:36:16,641 --> 00:36:20,081 Speaker 1: not a healthy relationship. Has taken me to get to 727 00:36:20,121 --> 00:36:23,801 Speaker 1: my third marriage. Before it was always vital flight or 728 00:36:24,241 --> 00:36:28,161 Speaker 1: dramatic situations, and you don't have to live like that. 729 00:36:28,441 --> 00:36:32,201 Speaker 1: The ideal partner is really somebody who wants for you 730 00:36:32,321 --> 00:36:35,601 Speaker 1: to be happy, not for you to fix them. 731 00:36:35,681 --> 00:36:37,681 Speaker 4: What kind of advice would you give to your younger self? 732 00:36:37,721 --> 00:36:38,961 Speaker 4: Looking back, I think. 733 00:36:38,841 --> 00:36:41,481 Speaker 1: My advice to myself was like, actually listen to what 734 00:36:41,561 --> 00:36:43,841 Speaker 1: other people have to say and take it on board. 735 00:36:44,041 --> 00:36:48,121 Speaker 1: I had people warning me right from the start, and 736 00:36:48,841 --> 00:36:52,081 Speaker 1: I didn't heed the warning signs. I was too much 737 00:36:52,201 --> 00:36:54,601 Speaker 1: of the story in my head that if I'm a 738 00:36:54,641 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 1: good person, other people will be good people too, and 739 00:36:58,481 --> 00:37:00,401 Speaker 1: it's just not true, unfortunately. 740 00:37:00,801 --> 00:37:03,641 Speaker 4: And what advice would you give to someone that's in 741 00:37:03,761 --> 00:37:09,201 Speaker 4: a really toxic, abusive, unhappy relationship and they feel so 742 00:37:09,441 --> 00:37:11,761 Speaker 4: stuck and they don't know how to get out, they're 743 00:37:11,801 --> 00:37:14,041 Speaker 4: scared to get out, Like, what do you have any 744 00:37:14,081 --> 00:37:15,881 Speaker 4: advice that you would give them if they're listening. 745 00:37:16,561 --> 00:37:20,361 Speaker 1: I think the truth is that there is always better 746 00:37:20,601 --> 00:37:24,721 Speaker 1: to look forward to. So my life is nothing like 747 00:37:24,921 --> 00:37:28,361 Speaker 1: what it was back then, and at the time I 748 00:37:28,401 --> 00:37:31,521 Speaker 1: didn't want to let go of this relationship or the 749 00:37:31,561 --> 00:37:36,561 Speaker 1: whole dynamic, because I was afraid that I was losing something. 750 00:37:36,921 --> 00:37:40,361 Speaker 1: And in fact, when you let go of a relationship 751 00:37:40,401 --> 00:37:46,401 Speaker 1: that's toxic, you gain. So it's just getting that story 752 00:37:46,601 --> 00:37:49,801 Speaker 1: that's in your head that you've got things to lose. 753 00:37:50,521 --> 00:37:53,201 Speaker 1: Take that story and give it a different perspective. But 754 00:37:53,401 --> 00:37:57,481 Speaker 1: what if I got to gain? And the things that 755 00:37:57,521 --> 00:38:01,361 Speaker 1: you've got to gain aren't to do with material things, 756 00:38:01,441 --> 00:38:05,041 Speaker 1: your house, that sort of thing that can all be replaced. 757 00:38:05,161 --> 00:38:07,841 Speaker 1: I know that sounds easy to say, that sort of 758 00:38:07,881 --> 00:38:10,321 Speaker 1: thing can come and go in your life. It's your 759 00:38:10,361 --> 00:38:14,881 Speaker 1: own self respect, it's your own sense of being. You 760 00:38:15,041 --> 00:38:20,641 Speaker 1: have to develop your own identity without that connection to 761 00:38:20,761 --> 00:38:24,161 Speaker 1: someone else. That's unhealthy because that's just going to hold 762 00:38:24,201 --> 00:38:24,761 Speaker 1: you back. 763 00:38:26,561 --> 00:38:29,041 Speaker 4: And it's not easy for you to pack up your life, 764 00:38:29,041 --> 00:38:31,401 Speaker 4: pack up the boxes of the house, like change your name, 765 00:38:31,681 --> 00:38:33,641 Speaker 4: get the two boys, get a new job, like drive 766 00:38:33,681 --> 00:38:35,801 Speaker 4: to a new state, go to a little town that 767 00:38:35,801 --> 00:38:38,641 Speaker 4: you've never been to before. Like obviously that was really scary, uncomfortable, 768 00:38:38,641 --> 00:38:40,161 Speaker 4: but you did it, and you can do it, and 769 00:38:40,161 --> 00:38:40,801 Speaker 4: so can others. 770 00:38:40,881 --> 00:38:43,521 Speaker 1: Right absolutely, And the truth of it was, at the 771 00:38:43,601 --> 00:38:46,601 Speaker 1: end of that marriage, I did not know who I 772 00:38:46,921 --> 00:38:51,041 Speaker 1: was because I'd spent so many years basically just trying 773 00:38:51,081 --> 00:38:54,961 Speaker 1: to manage the peace, burying me and what he needed 774 00:38:55,001 --> 00:38:57,881 Speaker 1: and wanted, and what I had to provide as a mother, 775 00:38:57,961 --> 00:39:00,161 Speaker 1: and what I needed to give to work. There was 776 00:39:00,241 --> 00:39:03,681 Speaker 1: no me left. So that was the big game for me, 777 00:39:03,841 --> 00:39:07,361 Speaker 1: is that by changing my name, by changing where I live, 778 00:39:07,441 --> 00:39:11,001 Speaker 1: by changing everything in my life, I got to reinvent myself. 779 00:39:11,441 --> 00:39:15,601 Speaker 1: That's cool, be brave, take that step. Do it for 780 00:39:15,641 --> 00:39:18,281 Speaker 1: you because you need to be able to know who 781 00:39:18,321 --> 00:39:21,081 Speaker 1: you are in life. People were saying to me, oh, 782 00:39:21,161 --> 00:39:23,201 Speaker 1: this is awesome. He's out of your life. You can 783 00:39:23,241 --> 00:39:26,001 Speaker 1: do all the things that you like to do. And 784 00:39:26,081 --> 00:39:29,121 Speaker 1: I was like, seriously, I do not know what I 785 00:39:29,241 --> 00:39:32,761 Speaker 1: like to do. I don't know anymore. It was like 786 00:39:32,841 --> 00:39:36,721 Speaker 1: a new discovery. I started like cooking, doing recipes I 787 00:39:36,761 --> 00:39:40,401 Speaker 1: really like to make, and just one by one gathering 788 00:39:40,601 --> 00:39:42,721 Speaker 1: sort of like a tool belt of things that were 789 00:39:42,761 --> 00:39:45,841 Speaker 1: about what I liked. Now I do know who I am, 790 00:39:45,921 --> 00:39:48,961 Speaker 1: I know what I like. It's such a bit of life, 791 00:39:49,401 --> 00:39:51,081 Speaker 1: not in that toxic relationship. 792 00:39:51,201 --> 00:39:55,121 Speaker 4: We are so lucky in this generation of this is 793 00:39:55,121 --> 00:39:57,241 Speaker 4: like the light of social media as we have like 794 00:39:57,721 --> 00:40:03,201 Speaker 4: courses and YouTube and podcasts and coaches and TV shows 795 00:40:03,241 --> 00:40:06,441 Speaker 4: and documentaries and all all these things that like teach 796 00:40:06,481 --> 00:40:11,241 Speaker 4: you about relationships, about finding yourself, about boundaries, like about 797 00:40:11,561 --> 00:40:14,041 Speaker 4: your own beliefs and values and morals and how important 798 00:40:14,041 --> 00:40:16,001 Speaker 4: the first seven years of your life is like all 799 00:40:16,001 --> 00:40:18,281 Speaker 4: this stuff. Like you don't get talk growing up, especially 800 00:40:18,321 --> 00:40:20,881 Speaker 4: in your generation, mum, like your age group, Like you 801 00:40:20,881 --> 00:40:22,641 Speaker 4: didn't have access to all of this. So as you're 802 00:40:22,681 --> 00:40:25,561 Speaker 4: going through all of this, you're literally navigating this as 803 00:40:25,601 --> 00:40:28,121 Speaker 4: a young woman that just has no idea about any 804 00:40:28,161 --> 00:40:31,201 Speaker 4: of this. You're totally winging it. There's no knowledge, there's 805 00:40:31,201 --> 00:40:33,961 Speaker 4: no experience, there's no handbook, there's no even your parents 806 00:40:34,001 --> 00:40:36,161 Speaker 4: are not there helping guide you because they didn't know, 807 00:40:36,441 --> 00:40:38,881 Speaker 4: not anyone to therapy. In those days, it wasn't a 808 00:40:38,921 --> 00:40:40,081 Speaker 4: normal thing to be like I'm just going to go 809 00:40:40,121 --> 00:40:42,961 Speaker 4: see my psychology. That's so normal now if I just regulated, 810 00:40:43,001 --> 00:40:46,041 Speaker 4: I'm like a session with a coach and like all 811 00:40:46,041 --> 00:40:47,921 Speaker 4: my friends are aligned do we chat about these deep 812 00:40:47,961 --> 00:40:51,401 Speaker 4: conversations and we've got a support system, Like I can't 813 00:40:51,441 --> 00:40:54,961 Speaker 4: imagine going through everything you've been through with no support, 814 00:40:55,121 --> 00:40:56,601 Speaker 4: So hush, yeah. 815 00:40:56,961 --> 00:40:59,881 Speaker 1: I think there's massive pressures on you know, the young 816 00:41:00,001 --> 00:41:04,241 Speaker 1: women of today that my generation didn't have. It. Kind 817 00:41:04,281 --> 00:41:07,161 Speaker 1: of cats both ways. You know, the image that you 818 00:41:07,201 --> 00:41:09,761 Speaker 1: get of how life is supposed to be is not 819 00:41:09,841 --> 00:41:12,001 Speaker 1: something we had to deal with back in my day. 820 00:41:13,001 --> 00:41:15,601 Speaker 1: I mean, normal was what you lived and you didn't 821 00:41:15,601 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 1: really get to see how anyone else's life was true. 822 00:41:19,361 --> 00:41:21,881 Speaker 1: So for me, the marriage I was in was a 823 00:41:21,921 --> 00:41:24,201 Speaker 1: normal marriage as far as I was concerned, because I 824 00:41:24,201 --> 00:41:26,281 Speaker 1: didn't see the examples of better ones. 825 00:41:26,321 --> 00:41:28,441 Speaker 4: Yeah, you didn't know. That's so true? Actually was. We 826 00:41:28,441 --> 00:41:31,121 Speaker 4: compare so much on social media with like these highlight reels. 827 00:41:31,361 --> 00:41:34,601 Speaker 4: We think you have a standard. It does fast forward 828 00:41:34,641 --> 00:41:37,081 Speaker 4: to now though, Mom, Like, your life is obviously so 829 00:41:37,201 --> 00:41:39,841 Speaker 4: different and you're so happy, Like you were single for 830 00:41:39,921 --> 00:41:41,761 Speaker 4: quite a few years, and then you met your partner 831 00:41:41,841 --> 00:41:44,161 Speaker 4: Bruce now on it was it on dating our pay. 832 00:41:44,201 --> 00:41:48,761 Speaker 1: We've been together for twelve years, married for three or four. 833 00:41:48,921 --> 00:41:51,001 Speaker 4: Yeah, when I tell you I've never seen a man 834 00:41:51,041 --> 00:41:54,121 Speaker 4: worship the ground someone walks on, I'm not even kidding you. 835 00:41:54,241 --> 00:41:58,761 Speaker 4: Like this man thinks the bee's knees of my mumm 836 00:41:58,881 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 4: gonna be like having, you know, a moment where she's 837 00:42:01,001 --> 00:42:03,161 Speaker 4: I don't know. We you're emotional, snappy, and she's like, 838 00:42:03,761 --> 00:42:07,521 Speaker 4: he just still loves me. He just adores the shit 839 00:42:07,601 --> 00:42:08,001 Speaker 4: out of you. 840 00:42:08,161 --> 00:42:12,481 Speaker 3: And it's so isn't it so exactly what you deserve. 841 00:42:12,561 --> 00:42:14,761 Speaker 4: Sometimes I'm just like, oh my gosh, that man is 842 00:42:14,801 --> 00:42:16,921 Speaker 4: like obsessed with you, but in the most beautiful way. 843 00:42:17,001 --> 00:42:19,361 Speaker 4: And we giggle because it's just like, I've never seen 844 00:42:19,401 --> 00:42:21,841 Speaker 4: you be treated like an absolute queen, Like you could 845 00:42:21,881 --> 00:42:25,201 Speaker 4: literally wear anything, do anything, say anything, you could have 846 00:42:25,481 --> 00:42:27,281 Speaker 4: shit all over your face and he'd be like, Wendy, 847 00:42:27,321 --> 00:42:28,321 Speaker 4: you're so beautiful. 848 00:42:28,801 --> 00:42:35,961 Speaker 1: I know, my ugly dancing he thinks is amazing. He 849 00:42:36,161 --> 00:42:38,121 Speaker 1: really is the blast thing at the end of all 850 00:42:38,161 --> 00:42:38,681 Speaker 1: of this for. 851 00:42:38,681 --> 00:42:41,401 Speaker 4: Me, and I freaking love that because it just gives 852 00:42:41,521 --> 00:42:44,281 Speaker 4: anyone listening hopefully like we wanted to share this story 853 00:42:44,321 --> 00:42:46,321 Speaker 4: because one I've spoken about it so much openly over 854 00:42:46,401 --> 00:42:49,561 Speaker 4: the years, but too just to hopefully empower other women 855 00:42:49,601 --> 00:42:51,561 Speaker 4: that they you know, there is choices, and I know 856 00:42:51,641 --> 00:42:54,161 Speaker 4: it's not as easy as just like getting up and leaving. 857 00:42:54,401 --> 00:42:58,241 Speaker 4: I realize domestic and abusive relationship and toxic relationships are 858 00:42:58,241 --> 00:43:01,321 Speaker 4: not that black and white. There's so many layers to it. 859 00:43:01,401 --> 00:43:03,481 Speaker 4: But I just hope that this can give some light. 860 00:43:03,521 --> 00:43:08,081 Speaker 1: And remember it's too late to reinvent yourself. I did 861 00:43:08,081 --> 00:43:11,681 Speaker 1: it when I was forty five, like and I thought 862 00:43:11,681 --> 00:43:13,521 Speaker 1: at that time, like you know, that was part of 863 00:43:13,561 --> 00:43:15,961 Speaker 1: the grief for me, was like I'm so old, I 864 00:43:15,961 --> 00:43:19,681 Speaker 1: could never have another life. Now this has just ruined 865 00:43:19,681 --> 00:43:22,321 Speaker 1: my life. That was the mindset that I was in. 866 00:43:22,801 --> 00:43:25,921 Speaker 1: But it's never too late. You can always move on 867 00:43:26,001 --> 00:43:28,801 Speaker 1: to something better and build that for yourself. 868 00:43:29,081 --> 00:43:31,480 Speaker 4: And you've built an incredible life that you're loving so much. 869 00:43:31,521 --> 00:43:33,561 Speaker 4: You go to Bali every year with your amazing daughter. 870 00:43:35,321 --> 00:43:37,961 Speaker 4: You live on land, you have a veggie garden. You know, 871 00:43:38,001 --> 00:43:40,281 Speaker 4: you're working back for us. You've got a great relationship 872 00:43:40,321 --> 00:43:42,480 Speaker 4: with all of your children and your husband, and it's 873 00:43:42,521 --> 00:43:45,081 Speaker 4: just so cool to see you at this second half 874 00:43:45,121 --> 00:43:49,401 Speaker 4: of your life, just absolutely thriving, not just surviving through 875 00:43:49,441 --> 00:43:51,361 Speaker 4: each day. And it's so cool to see. 876 00:43:51,281 --> 00:43:53,321 Speaker 1: And it's so cool to get to share it with you. 877 00:43:54,041 --> 00:43:55,000 Speaker 4: I love you so much. 878 00:43:55,601 --> 00:43:56,321 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love you. 879 00:43:57,121 --> 00:43:59,361 Speaker 4: Thank you so much for joining us. This has been incredible. 880 00:43:59,441 --> 00:44:01,601 Speaker 4: It's so vulnerable and brave to share and open up, 881 00:44:01,641 --> 00:44:03,241 Speaker 4: and I think so many women are going to get 882 00:44:03,241 --> 00:44:05,641 Speaker 4: a lot out of this episode. It's really share your time. 883 00:44:05,721 --> 00:44:08,001 Speaker 1: Mum, thank you to both of you. 884 00:44:08,241 --> 00:44:09,041 Speaker 4: You're so welcome.