1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: We'd like to acknowledge that traditional custodians of the land 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: on which this podcast was produced the Gadighl people of 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: the orination. We pay our respects to Elder's past and present. 4 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: This episode contains discussion of suicide. If this raises any 5 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: issues for you, support is available through the links and 6 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: phone numbers in the show notes. 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: It's twenty thirteen and we're on a family holiday in 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: Thailand with Sam Bloom. Days are spent swimming and relaxing. 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,319 Speaker 2: Sam thinks to herself, it doesn't get much better than this. 10 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 2: After a few days, the Blooms decide to head north 11 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: and check into a new hotel. They excitedly spot a 12 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 2: rooftop lookout. Sam leans on a wooden railing, but it 13 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: has rotted and collapses, causing her to plumit two stories. 14 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 2: She's rushed to hospital and will spend the coming days 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 2: undergoing multiple surgeries before being medivacked back home to Sydney. 16 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 2: It's an anxious weight at hospital, Sam will never walk again. 17 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 2: The next few months are filled with intensive rehab and 18 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: heartbreaking thoughts. Sam doesn't want to be here anymore. When 19 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 2: one day, a frail and injured Magpie shows up on 20 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: the family doorstep. She's black, white and waddles. So Sam's 21 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: sons name her Penguin. I'm at Middleton and this is Headgame. 22 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: In this episode, our penguin saved the well parasurfing champion 23 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 2: Sam Bloom. Sam Bloom, welcome to my podcast head Game. 24 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 2: Do you know what when I read your story, I 25 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: recognized it. Then when I realized what unfolded from a 26 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 2: negative to I suppose a positive story, it was cat 27 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 2: It was quite shocking to me. But can you just 28 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: take us back to what your family household was like 29 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: before the incident happened. 30 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, of course, I've got three boys. Yeah, I mean 31 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 3: we live on the Northern Beaches in Sydney, so we 32 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:23,399 Speaker 3: grow up. You know, we spent a lot of time 33 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 3: at the beach. We spent a lot of time outdoors, 34 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 3: super active family. Like I always say, the boys bushwalking, 35 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 3: on mountain, biking and just everything. Our whole life was 36 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 3: spent outside and you know that was who we were. 37 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 3: We had you know, I had a great life. It 38 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 3: was awesome. I absolutely loved my life and I love 39 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 3: you know, like if the boys are riding skateboards and 40 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 3: always grab the skateboarding ride, U skated with them and 41 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 3: you know, and it was funny because we go to 42 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: this bear Max track quite a lot, and I'd wait 43 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 3: till all the parents had left, and then I'd rag 44 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 3: one of their bikes and race them so you can 45 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 3: get the highest of the jump. So that was kind 46 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 3: of who we were. We was incredibly active. And it's 47 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 3: funny because cam my husband, his photographer, and ever since 48 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 3: we were young, we've loved traveling and so we wanted 49 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 3: to instill our love of travel in the kids. And 50 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 3: so it's kind of frustrating because initially we actually wanted 51 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: to take the kids to Ethiopia and Egypt. That was 52 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 3: it because Kamela went to Ethiopia twenty five years ago 53 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 3: absolutely loved it. So we're like, yeah, let's say the 54 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 3: kids there, you know, show them how magical and how 55 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 3: amazing the people are. And I can't remember how long beforehand, 56 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 3: but there was a lot of unrest in Cairo, so 57 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 3: that's why we fought no, but not risk it. We 58 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 3: don't want to, you know, get injured or hurt in Cairo. 59 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 3: So that's why we decided to take them to Thailand. 60 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 3: So that was in twenty. 61 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: Thirteen, and you tip up there. You're all excited, the 62 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: kids are excited. What happened when you When you got 63 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 2: to Thailand, we flew to. 64 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: Pricket, and to be honest, we actually didn't like Pricket. 65 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 3: It was too and it was just not our thing. 66 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 3: So we started to head north. So we went. We 67 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: ended up about halfway between Puquet and Bangkok, and we 68 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 3: found this really cool hotel on the beach in the 69 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 3: middle of nowhere. So we spent one night there. And 70 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 3: then on our second day, we'd been swimming and we'd 71 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 3: actually planned to hire bikes and ride up to a 72 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 3: fishing village which was about two kilometers away, and so beforehand, 73 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 3: one of the kids we'd had breakfast, and then the 74 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 3: boys got a juice and one of the kids saw 75 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 3: like a staircase going up onto this big flat rooftop, 76 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 3: and so we three year we just go up there 77 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: and check out the view, drink our juices before we 78 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 3: go riding. And so yeah, we went up the stairs 79 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 3: and I actually don't have any memory of even going 80 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 3: up the stairs. And apparently I leaned on the railing 81 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 3: and it had dry rot, but I didn't realize, so 82 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 3: I leant for it obviously backwards and fell six meters 83 00:04:54,960 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 3: and yeah, broke my back and sustained numerous other injuries. 84 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,799 Speaker 3: That was our fourth day of our holiday. 85 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: Fourth day of your holiday. Everything's going well. The kids 86 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 2: are loving it. You're loving it. The children are up there. 87 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: Is that correct? So the children do they do? They 88 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: witness you for six meters onto the ground. 89 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, they saw, well, a couple of them just saw 90 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 3: my feet go over and then they heard the crashing kids. 91 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 3: It was like a metal railing and then so yeah, 92 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 3: they all ran down and yeah, it was horrific. I mean, 93 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 3: I obviously knocked myself out. I freshened my skull, so 94 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 3: I was like bleeding from my head and oh, I'd 95 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 3: bit through my tongue so there was blood coming out 96 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 3: of my mouth. Yeah. Yeah, I was just lying there 97 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 3: unconscious and gurgling because I had a lot of internal 98 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 3: bleeding in my lungs and stuff just from the force 99 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 3: of falling. So yeah, it was horrible because you know, 100 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 3: it's pretty horrific to like run down the stairs and 101 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: then see your mom like lying unconscious. 102 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 2: Bleeding, especially when you're going from one extreme to the other. 103 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: You know, you're havingough time of your life and you 104 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 2: and then that literally gets flipped upside down from having 105 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 2: you know, all smiles, laughing and loving life to life's 106 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 2: going to change from this moment onwards. 107 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and it split second everything changed. Yeah, So no, 108 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 3: it was terrible. So then Cam rolled me over because 109 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 3: I landed on my back and that's how I hit 110 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 3: my head as well. And then he rolled me over 111 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 3: and he saw this massive lump on my back and 112 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 3: he started yelling for an ambulance. And yeah, it was horrible. 113 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,799 Speaker 3: I mean I don't remember it, but it was massive. 114 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 3: You know, it would have been horrific for the kids 115 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 3: and Cam absolutely. 116 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 2: What was your if you don't mind talking about, what's 117 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 2: your first memory of realizing that you'd been in an accident? 118 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, now, my first memory was probably two days after, 119 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 3: and my mum and my sister had come to Thailand 120 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 3: to see me, and so at first after the accident, 121 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 3: I was taken just to a little reach a hospital 122 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 3: and they were trying to stitch up my head and 123 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 3: X ray me and they're kind of like, yeah, it's 124 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 3: not looking good, and so they put us all in 125 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 3: the ambulance and drove us another three hours up to 126 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 3: a private hospital. 127 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: And you can't remember any of this man. 128 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 3: I don't remember it, no, not one, but I know 129 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 3: well I was conscious. Apparently I was saying to Cam, 130 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 3: I can't feel my legs, but I don't remember that. 131 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 3: And so, yeah, it would have been a couple of 132 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 3: days after the accident and I woke up. I remember 133 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 3: seeing my mom and sister there and I'm like, what 134 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 3: are you guys doing here? And then I remember saying 135 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 3: to Mom, I want to get up. I want to 136 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 3: get up because I was strapped to a spider board 137 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 3: and I must have had this strap over my chest 138 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 3: and I remember saying to Mom, you know it's hurting 139 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 3: my boobs. It's hurting my boobs. I want to get up. 140 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 3: So then that's all I remember then. And it's funny 141 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 3: because my second memory, I was in theater, but I 142 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: didn't know I was in theater. I had no idea 143 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: what was going on. And I remember them pulling up 144 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 3: my T shirts. I had this aqua T shirt, was 145 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 3: quite a bright T shirt on and I remember them 146 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 3: pulling it up and then cut it off, and then 147 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 3: I stuck like a central line was something in my 148 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,119 Speaker 3: neck and that really hurt, and I remember just gripping 149 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 3: onto the sheet and then you just see the mask 150 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 3: come down, and yeah, that's my next memory. But I 151 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 3: had no idea what was going on. 152 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: When did the reality of what the hell is going on? 153 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: When did that kick in? And did you freak out? 154 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: And what was what was going on? No? 155 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 3: Actually, you know, that's the weirdest thing. I don't actually 156 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 3: think I realized that I couldn't walk, mate, not so 157 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: I got home from Thailand. 158 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 2: So they didn't tell you that you were paralyzed. 159 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 3: No, Well, initially my main focus was actually on my 160 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 3: head because I had like subdural extra papotomers, so I 161 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 3: liked the most insane headaches and that was kind of 162 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 3: all I could think about. And to be honest, I 163 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 3: remember that the nurses would often come in and just 164 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 3: inject i don't know, some sort of painkiller, and I 165 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 3: was pretty out of it a lot of the time. 166 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 3: And I remember my best friend she also flew out 167 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: to Thailand, and yeah, I remember seeing her and bursting 168 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:05,079 Speaker 3: into tears. But then oh, it was just so it's 169 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 3: so incredible, like how your your brain can just like 170 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 3: just erase. Yeah, yeah, it's incredible. 171 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 2: Yes, phenomenal, isn't it? But when when did the news 172 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 2: hit and how long were you in Thailand for before 173 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 2: you got flown home? 174 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 3: Well, I was in Thailand for about three weeks. 175 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 2: You in Thailand for three weeks and no one told 176 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 2: you that you were paralyzed. 177 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 3: Wow, I know, I know, and it sounds really weird, 178 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 3: like thinking back, like how did I not realize? I 179 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 3: do remember. So I was in in this big hospital 180 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 3: where they operated on me. They flew am or they drove. 181 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 3: I don't know how he got down there, A neurosurgent 182 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 3: from Bangkok. They got they they took they brought him 183 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 3: down to this town called Wahin, which is where I 184 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 3: was operated on. So I was there for ten days 185 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 3: and then once I was stable en off, they took 186 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 3: me in Nablus after Bangkok. But I don't know. I 187 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 3: figured something must have been pretty wrong, because I do 188 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 3: remember when I was in Bangkok. I remember saying to camera, 189 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 3: I wish I'd died. So I kind of figured something 190 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 3: wasn't right. 191 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:12,359 Speaker 2: And do you remember being in that headspace? 192 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 3: Sam? 193 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 2: Do you remember being in this sort of negative headspace? 194 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 2: I I wish I'd died. I don't want to be here. 195 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 2: Did you want to die? Did you think the best 196 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: way for me? Yeah you did. Wow. 197 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, I would rather have been dead, Yeah, because I 198 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 3: was just lying there. And yeah, it's funny because I'm 199 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 3: pretty sure the doctors in Bangkok told camera I wouldn't 200 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 3: be able to walk again, but no one told me, 201 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 3: and so I guess in my mind, in a weird way, 202 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 3: I was probably thinking, that's fine, I'll get flying back 203 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 3: to Australia and I'll be fine. I'll stay in hospital 204 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 3: for a little bit and then i'll go home and 205 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 3: I'll be me again. So once I was stable enough, 206 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 3: I remember when I was in Bangkok that I was 207 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 3: trying to sit me up to make sure I wasn't 208 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 3: going to pass out on the plane coming back. And 209 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:00,199 Speaker 3: then once once I didn't pass out, yeah, they they 210 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 3: organized an Australian doctor and a ty nurse to fly 211 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 3: me back home. So yeah, it was just bizarre. So 212 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 3: I didn't actually find out I would then walk again 213 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 3: until I got back to Sydney. And then I was 214 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 3: met by some ambulance officers at the airport and taken 215 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 3: to a Ronald Shore Hospital, which is a major teaching 216 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 3: hospital in Sydney, and yeah, take into the spining unit. 217 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 3: And then the next day I went down for an MRI, 218 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 3: and yeah, I just I was so scared. I'd never 219 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 3: had an amma rye before, and I don't know if 220 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 3: you've ever had mine, but they're horrible. And I just 221 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 3: remember lying there and they give you that little button, 222 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 3: you know, in case you want to get out or whatever, 223 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 3: and I just meant within in my head and I 224 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 3: had my eyes closed because I was just I was terrified. 225 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 3: Don't press the button, don't press the button. Yep, just 226 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 3: get through this so you don't have to do it again. 227 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 3: And so I had the MRI and then went back 228 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 3: up to the room and luckily my mom was there, 229 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 3: and then this young doctor just came in and he's like, oh, 230 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 3: I've looked at you, Mr. I'm like, you know, yes, 231 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 3: And in the schain he said, like on a scale 232 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 3: and moderate say severe. Your injuries are definitely severe. And 233 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 3: I asked him will I ever walk again? He was 234 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 3: so blunt. He just goes no. And I just remember 235 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 3: I was just lying there and I pulled a shot 236 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 3: over my head and I burst into tears and that 237 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 3: was it. But he could have just given me even 238 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 3: like a little glimmer. I mean, obviously had to tell 239 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 3: the truth. You know, yeah, i'd like really badly damaged 240 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 3: my spinal cord, but if it's just given me a 241 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 3: tiny bit of. 242 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 2: Hope when he said that, when he just Las said, 243 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: you know, of course I'm never going to walk again. 244 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 2: What was your initial thought process? 245 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 3: I used to say with this Sam died in Thailand 246 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 3: and dish Shell came back because it was kind of 247 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 3: like I've lost my identity, you know before like before 248 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 3: the accident, I'd always go mountain biking and surfing and 249 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 3: riding skateboards and running, going to gym. That was who 250 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 3: I was, you know, that was kind of and I'm 251 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 3: playing soccer. Yeah, to strike it on a soccer beach, 252 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 3: that was me. Yeah. And then to like lose lose. 253 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 2: The worst outcome, like you said, apart from dead. 254 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 3: As my greatest fear, the greatest fear was to lose 255 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 3: my mobility. And yeah, so yeah, I was just like, well, 256 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 3: that's my life over. 257 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 2: How did you get through it? And who did you 258 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 2: use around you to help you to where you are now? 259 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 3: Well, I didn't have a choice, you know, to be honest, though, 260 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 3: if I didn't, if I didn't have the kids, yep, 261 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 3: I don't reckon I'd be here. 262 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 2: Wow, honestly, And were you going through that on a 263 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 2: daily basis? Oh? 264 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 3: Mate, yeah, yeah, especially when I actually came home from hospital. 265 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 3: It was even worse. It that I just felt like 266 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 3: thought about that all the time, but I would never 267 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 3: do it because I had the kids and Cam and 268 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 3: I didn't want to put them through even more stress 269 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 3: and more horror. So in my head I was kind 270 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 3: of like, will you have to, yeah, just be there 271 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 3: for the kids, And yeah, it was so hard. I remember, 272 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 3: like kiss, I used to say, in a pressure injury 273 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 3: because when I was in Thailand and they left me 274 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 3: on a spinal board for three days, so I had 275 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 3: this massive, like this five by six centimeter hole in 276 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 3: my sacrum which was necrotic like it was disgusting. So 277 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 3: I was essentially on my side. Every two hours, they'd 278 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 3: come and flip me from my left to the right 279 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 3: to keep me off the sacrum, and I'd be going 280 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 3: down to theater and yeah, it was just horrible. So 281 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 3: I just, yeah, I just tried to put on a 282 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 3: brave face for the kids. And I don't know, so. 283 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 2: Your children, you're three boys that kept you kept you 284 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 2: alive that yeah, got through. 285 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 3: It, like literally, yeah, literally they have. 286 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: How long did the process take from you hitting Australia 287 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: to you then coming home? 288 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 3: Talk about six months? Yeah, hospital, then rehab and yeah, 289 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 3: then I came home. So it's funny because everyone I 290 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 3: remember when it was my time to come home, and 291 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 3: everyone was so excited and I was so nervous. Why 292 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 3: because it's so easy when you're in hospital or rehab. 293 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 3: You're not the only one you're surrounded by. Everybody else 294 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 3: is in the same situation, so everybody gets it. And 295 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 3: then you know, and you know you've got the nurses 296 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 3: there if you need hand, if you need help. Yeah, 297 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 3: I remember just coming home. That was my That was 298 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 3: by far the hardest part. 299 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 2: And did it help you coming home or did you 300 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 2: steep further into your depression? Yeah? 301 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 3: No, it made it way worse because when I came home, 302 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 3: because I was the only one in the wheel chair 303 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 3: and we overlooked the beach, so I used to sit 304 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 3: here and I'd stare at my favorite surf spot and 305 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 3: would make me so angry. And then I'd look kind 306 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: of to the west and I could see the National 307 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 3: Park where used to go mountain biking all the time, 308 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 3: So it was kind of like everything I loved doing 309 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 3: was right in my face, but I just couldn't touch it. 310 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 3: So yeah, no, and you know, and there was a 311 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 3: lot of mum guilt as well. You know, I came 312 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 3: home and I couldn't I couldn't run around after the 313 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 3: kids anymore. I couldn't go shopping, and I couldn't clean 314 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 3: the house or change like stupid little things. Couldn't change 315 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 3: the sheets, do the washing. Yeah, just things like that 316 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 3: so damn made it's so much harder. 317 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 2: Do you think being there and doing that over and 318 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 2: over again, do you think that that helped you ultimately 319 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 2: come out of this or did it just get worse 320 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 2: and worse and worse and worse, Because I can imagine 321 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 2: the more you sit there and you watch your favorite 322 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 2: surfing spot, you watch the mountain biking, you go you 323 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 2: want to be there. I want to be there. Then 324 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 2: after time do you go, well, actually now I need 325 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 2: to adapt, I need to or was it just getting 326 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 2: worse and worse and worse. 327 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 3: I'd say it was probably getting worse and worse worse. Okay, 328 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 3: funny because when I was in rehab, there was this 329 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 3: he was a sport recreational officer. He was amazing and 330 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 3: he knew I liked sport and all that before my accident, 331 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 3: so he tried so hard to find me something. He 332 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 3: take me to wheelchair basketball too, you know, murdible, you. 333 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 2: Know, yeah, murder Wow. I love vertibles. I love vertible. 334 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, So he take me to all these things 335 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 3: and I was like, yeah no, and I remember saying 336 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 3: to him maybe I could kayak and he was amazing, so, 337 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 3: you know, organized everything. So I came. I was home 338 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 3: for two weeks, and then after two weeks I started 339 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 3: kayaking and it was just one day a week and 340 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 3: it was like fifteen minutes away, just on the lake. 341 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 3: And that to me was awesome because I was out 342 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 3: of the wheelchair, just surrounded by nature, back on the 343 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 3: water again and I sort of, I mean allously, I 344 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 3: didn't feel like my old self, but it was just 345 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 3: had a sense of freedom. 346 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: It was a little spark there, right, It is like a. 347 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 3: Little spark, yes, yeah, yeah yeah. 348 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 2: And how how long was that after you got home 349 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 2: that you decided to do kayaking? 350 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,199 Speaker 3: Two weeks after I got home from rehab. Yep, that 351 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 3: was my first time kayaking, And yeah, it was this 352 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 3: awesome and I was really lucky because I had the 353 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 3: most amazing coach. She was just a volunteer and she 354 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 3: was just she's this incredible. So we've been she's like 355 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 3: best mates now for like eleven years. 356 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 2: Yeah great, And how did how did your husband and 357 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 2: your children change around you when you came home? Because 358 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 2: I can imagine the change being quite bizarre and quite 359 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: off putting and offsetting. 360 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 3: It was a bit bizarre, and I did feel, like 361 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 3: I said before, there was a lot of guild. But 362 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 3: you know, the kids, the kids were just still the kids. 363 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 3: They'd still jump off the roof and you know, do 364 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 3: crazy things, which was unreal. I didn't want them to 365 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 3: be frightened of anything. I wanted them to still keep 366 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:47,479 Speaker 3: living the way we would have lived, Like take risks, 367 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 3: obviously not two bigger risks, but you know, just be 368 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 3: a boy. 369 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, trip up and get up again, dush yourself off, 370 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:53,479 Speaker 2: and away you go. 371 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 3: Yeah exactly. But yeah, I mean they had to grow 372 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 3: up pretty quickly. I mean they had to walk themselves 373 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 3: to school, and yeah, just do a lot more things 374 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 3: on their own. I do remember one time, though, Noah, 375 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 3: he's our metal kid, and his serfs, and I remember 376 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,679 Speaker 3: it was the first summer and he grabbed his surfboard 377 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 3: because we lived like two minutes from the beach. He 378 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 3: grabbed his board and he looked at me and he goes, 379 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 3: I'm just going for surf And he looked at me 380 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 3: and goes, oh, I'm so sorry. Mom. I'm like, oh 381 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 3: my God, like, oh my dude, just go down and 382 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,959 Speaker 3: get like an amazing way and that will make me happy. 383 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 3: You know. Yeah, it's like so much guilt and I'm like, no, 384 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 3: just go and enjoy yourself. 385 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 2: Like, yeah, did that help you with your recovering the 386 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 2: kids acting normal, going out, taking risks and not seeing 387 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: a huge change in how in their demeanor and how 388 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 2: they acted around you. 389 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, No, they treated me. They treated me 390 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:49,719 Speaker 3: like normal. You know, they still bag me out, and 391 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 3: you know, it was it was. They were very amazing. 392 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 3: Kids are pretty incredible. I think they're a lot more 393 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 3: resilient and tougher than adults. 394 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 2: Just got a with it. 395 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,360 Speaker 3: I mean I remember sometimes we'd be out shopping and 396 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 3: they had come along to help me and I'm like, 397 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,400 Speaker 3: are you embarrassed, Like I'm in a wheelchair now. They're like, nah, 398 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 3: it is our mom, your mom. Yeah, yeah, you're just 399 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 3: doing mom. So I was like, yeah, no, there, they're amazing. 400 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 3: There was a few nights. I remember one night and 401 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 3: that really broke my heart. It was like, I'm Ollie 402 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 3: and here's the baby, and he's always been the baby. 403 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 3: He's still late. He's eighteen now and I still gone 404 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 3: Bobby and he was seven and I had been home 405 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 3: from hospital. I can't remember, maybe a few months and 406 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 3: he had gastro and so he was vomiting and he 407 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 3: was yelling out to Cam and not to me, and 408 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 3: that broke my heart because I'm like, mate, that's my job, 409 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 3: you know, I should be the one jumping up out 410 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:54,360 Speaker 3: of bed and helping you while you're sick. And yeah, 411 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:57,119 Speaker 3: that was just things like that were really made I 412 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 3: just remember lying in bed now I said, tears just 413 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 3: dreaming down my cheeks, and they saying, can I hate this? 414 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 3: I absolutely hate this. Not be enough even to help 415 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,919 Speaker 3: your own kids. The things like that were tricky, but 416 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 3: on the whole man, the boys just treating me like normal, 417 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 3: oh young when I had the accent, like only was 418 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 3: seven now I was nine and rooms was ten. They're 419 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 3: kind of babies. 420 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 2: And again, like you say, they're so adaptable with that age, 421 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 2: aren't they. They're so they're still so innocent as well. 422 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 2: And you know, kudos to yourself for not allowing the 423 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,120 Speaker 2: accident that happened to you and that they witnessed sort 424 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 2: of engulf their life of you know, oh no, don't 425 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 2: do that. Be careful. You know, there's just like no way. 426 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 2: And again, I suppose, like you said, that's what kept 427 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 2: you alive as well and kept you active and got 428 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 2: you through was was actually being there for the kids 429 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 2: in the best way that you could be. And I 430 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 2: suppose that is a super important way because talk about 431 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 2: molding their mindset, molding their actions, molding who they are 432 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 2: as young children. You know, that could have gone completely 433 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 2: the of a way. So your job was not only 434 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 2: dealing with yourself, but dealing with that as well in 435 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 2: order for them to grow up and be the kids 436 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 2: that they are now is absolutely a credit to you. 437 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 2: So but talk to me about that moment then. So 438 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 2: you're at home, let's bring Penguin into the equation. So 439 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 2: I know you've covered this toy quite a lot, but 440 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 2: just take me back to that day if you can, 441 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 2: and just talk me through it, because I'm quite fascinated 442 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 2: about this. What were you doing? And you know, I 443 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,120 Speaker 2: just imagine you going, oh, what's that. 444 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 3: Yeah. So I've been home for about three months, and 445 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 3: so my middle son, Noah, and I went to my 446 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 3: mom's she lives at the next beach. We just went 447 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 3: there for lunch and I wasn't driving at the time, 448 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 3: so Mum had to drive us home and we went 449 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 3: to go get in her car. So it was really 450 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 3: windy day, and then Noah just found this little baby 451 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,199 Speaker 3: magpie that had been blown out of her nest, and 452 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 3: she was so tiny, she was maybe a few weeks old, 453 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 3: and we thought if we left her there, she would 454 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 3: have died. So, you know, we picked her up and 455 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:05,360 Speaker 3: we took her home, and Ah, Mane, she changed everything 456 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 3: for us. I loved it. I mean, she was so 457 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 3: she was so vulnerable, and she needed so much care, 458 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 3: like feeding every two hours. And I think for me, 459 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 3: just looking after penguin kind of gave me my confidence 460 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 3: back a bit. You know. It's kind of like it 461 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 3: wasn't as useless as I thought I was, you know, 462 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 3: I mean I thought I was a pretty shitty mom 463 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 3: to be honest, like not being able to race around 464 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 3: and look after the kids like I used to. So 465 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 3: it was just it was just great having Penguin there, 466 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 3: and you know, as you can imagine, she was so 467 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 3: adorable and she just bought happiness and it actually took 468 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 3: the focus off me. You know, everyone's focus and energy 469 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 3: went to Penguin, and I love that. You know. I 470 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 3: didn't like all the attention, like, you know, how are you, 471 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 3: how you feeling and all that, so they say, no way, Yeah, 472 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 3: everything we put all our energy into Penguin was so 473 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 3: it was just it was awesome. 474 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 2: How did that relationship flowers show over time? 475 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 3: Oh? I loved it. And she was this because she 476 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,119 Speaker 3: was on me all the time. She was like on 477 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 3: my lap like especial when she was only little because 478 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 3: she called fly obviously, and then then she got older 479 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 3: she just think on my shoulder or my head. 480 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. 481 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 3: We spent all day every day like just together. 482 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 2: It was just nice. 483 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 3: I mean, animals are pretty healing and they're just nice 484 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 3: to talk to. 485 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 2: I love that. 486 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:16,360 Speaker 3: Man. I used to tell her. I used to tell 487 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 3: her everything did everything that was going in my head. 488 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 3: I would just tell Penguin and yeah, it's just lovely. 489 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 3: Then I judge you. 490 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,439 Speaker 2: So why why penguin? Where did the name come from? 491 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,919 Speaker 3: I know it's weird isn't it. Well, when we found her, 492 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 3: we thought she looked like a baby penguin because she'd 493 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 3: lay the really big feet and a fluffy, great chest. 494 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,640 Speaker 3: I don't know, we just thought she looked like a penguin, 495 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 3: so we called her penguin. 496 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 2: So she wouldn't leave your side ultimately. 497 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 3: No, No, she was with me all the time and 498 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 3: it was just lovely. It's just lovely to have that company. 499 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Did they give you a sense of purpose? 500 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 3: Yes, I guess she did. Yeah, just some mean, you know, 501 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 3: I had to look after her. The kids would be 502 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 3: at school and then Cain would go to work, so 503 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 3: it was just Penguin and I. 504 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 2: Could you relate to the vulnerability of nurturing her, because 505 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 2: if you didn't have, she wouldn't have made it. Could 506 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 2: you relate with Penguin in that way without probably subliminally Yeah. 507 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, no, definitely, because we're both had a full 508 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 3: both ejured, we're both looking after and we're both, like 509 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 3: you said, very vulnerable. Yeah, so yeah, no, it's yeah, 510 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 3: it was kind of cool. So I guess we've not 511 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 3: grew up together as such, but just got better together. 512 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 3: Like she started to fly and I got stronger and 513 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 3: you know, I was kayaking more and going to the 514 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 3: gym more, and yeah, we were both kind of moving on. 515 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can see the parallels there, and that's a 516 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 2: really really powerful story. And going back to what you said, 517 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:44,360 Speaker 2: just it just stuck in my head. The animals are healing, 518 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 2: and I suppose you were using Penguin as a healing process. 519 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 3: Definitely. Definitely, yeah, because a lot of people would ask me, 520 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 3: They're like, oh, you know, do you go and see anybody, 521 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 3: like a therapist or anything. Yeah, not because I was 522 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 3: pretty I'm pretty stubborn. But in my mind, I mean, 523 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 3: obviously they've worked for a lot of people. But in 524 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,160 Speaker 3: my mind, I'm like, well, they can't fix me because 525 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 3: I'm bricking. So what's the point. So I guess Penguin 526 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 3: was my therapist. 527 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 2: Talk to me about your your your transition from from kayaking. 528 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 2: So you take up the kayaking. You're pretty serious, right, 529 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 2: You're starting to enter some serious competitions and you're representing 530 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 2: the country. 531 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 3: Represent Australia. That was really cool. Went to Italy with 532 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,239 Speaker 3: my coach and when I didn't do very well, but 533 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 3: that was cool. Yes. So I was kayaking for a 534 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 3: few years and then I missed out on the Paralympics. 535 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 3: I remember saying to my coach Gay, going what do 536 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 3: I do now? And then so it was about five 537 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 3: years after my accident, and it's so funny. 538 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 2: It was this. 539 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 3: I got this letter of this lady and her son 540 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 3: is actually a professional surfer, and it was just like 541 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 3: I always say, it's like a random act of kindness. 542 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 3: And she wrote me it's a beautiful letters saying I 543 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 3: know you love surfing, You've grown up surfing. I think 544 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 3: you should get back in the ocean. And I was 545 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 3: kind okay, So yeah I did. I got a surfboard 546 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,360 Speaker 3: made up and and I went out and I mean, 547 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 3: obviously it's different because I'm lying down now, but yeah, 548 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 3: it was just great to get back out. 549 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 2: Adaptive surf boarding. How how does that look? Are you? 550 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 2: Are you? You are sort of in the as you 551 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,479 Speaker 2: would paddle out? Are you sort of in that position 552 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 2: on your Okay? 553 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, Mamma told me I got like bodyboarding, yes essentially, 554 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 3: but I write a short board like a normal shortboard. 555 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 3: But yeah, like you said, you paddle, paddle, and then 556 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 3: I just don't get up. 557 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, got you got so taught me back to 558 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 2: that first moment that you got on the board. Yeah. 559 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 3: No, the first time was so much fun. It was 560 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 3: up on a few beaches up from where we live, 561 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 3: and I went out with Noah, who surfs my my 562 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 3: name middle sign, and also with Tom Carroll. He's he's 563 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 3: in he lives near us and he's an ex world 564 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 3: champion as well, like an able bodied world champion. So 565 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 3: it was just so much fun. And like, I've known 566 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 3: Tom since I was a kid, and he's like he's 567 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 3: like a grom like a grommet, Like he gets so excited, 568 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 3: like and he's sixty something now, he's amazing. And so yeah, 569 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 3: I went out with Tom and Noah and Tommy was 570 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 3: pushing me onto the waves, and yeah, it was just 571 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 3: the best feeling. It was the best feeling being able 572 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 3: to surf like with Noah and like the kids again, 573 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 3: because that's how I remember before I had my accent, 574 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 3: I was like, Yep, we'll just keep we'll always travel, 575 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 3: we'll all surf together, and that's that is how it 576 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 3: will grow up. 577 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 2: Did you feel a sense of freedom again. 578 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, definitely, definitely. And it's just nice being out in 579 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 3: the ocean, you know, just the game, surrounded by the water, 580 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 3: because that's how I've grown up and with the kids, 581 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 3: with the kids spending all our time at the beach. 582 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 3: So no, that that was awesome. And so in twenty 583 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 3: eighteen I went in my first competition and it was 584 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 3: up the coast and it was just I was up 585 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 3: against this other guy who, yeah, he's Barney here was 586 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 3: a world champion and so it was this Barnie and 587 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 3: I and yeah, and it was awesome. I got on 588 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 3: the Australian team through that competition and yeah, and that 589 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 3: year I went to America to compete and for Australia 590 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 3: at the World Championships, and yeah, it was amazing. It's 591 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 3: you feel so proud to represent your country. And we 592 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 3: took our three kids, which was unroun and so they 593 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 3: got to as you can imagine, I mean, it was 594 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 3: it's a World Championships of adaptive surface. So there are 595 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 3: people with all sorts of disabilities, you know, like mane, 596 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 3: there's people missing limbs. Like there's this one guy who 597 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 3: we absolutely adore. His name is Jose He's American and 598 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 3: he was in Afghanistan and stood on ied and so 599 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 3: he lost his legs and an arm, and you know, 600 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 3: he he was kind of similar. After his accident, he 601 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 3: was in that terrible headspace like I was wish he'd died, 602 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 3: you know, kind of same same, same, same, but different. 603 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 3: And then he discovered surfing as well, and he's just 604 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 3: the most amazing guy. And the boys met him, fell 605 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 3: in love with him, and it was just really great. 606 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 3: It was great for them to sort of see that 607 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 3: all these people have overcome the most amazing, child like 608 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 3: huge challenges in their lives and you know, and they 609 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 3: can still have fun and compete, and yeah, it's a 610 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 3: really great community to be part of. 611 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 2: I love this story because you've gone from this surfing 612 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 2: family to get him back on a surfboard. And you're 613 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 2: so humble, Sam, because you have one gold at the 614 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, twenty and twenty and the twenty twenty three 615 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 2: World Powered Surfing Championships. And I love it how you 616 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 2: just brought that off. You're like, yeah, just serve people. 617 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 2: So you went back to being a surfing champion. 618 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, it's pretty cool. I think the first time 619 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 3: I won my first Word Championships, that was with the 620 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 3: kids there, and I was so, you know, it sounds weird, 621 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 3: but I was kind of so proud of what like, 622 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 3: you know, all the shit we've been through and all 623 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 3: what the kids have had to you know, they see 624 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 3: me at my lowest and then to sort of say, yeah, 625 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 3: it was shitty what has happened, But you can still 626 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 3: do amazing things. I think what I've learned, it's like, 627 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 3: I think like sadness and grief can kind of coexist 628 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 3: with happiness, which sounds really weird, but because I mean, 629 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 3: I mean, deep down honestly, I'll always be kind of 630 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 3: sad and angry, but I'm still happy, if you know 631 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 3: what I mean, I can still have fun at and yeah, 632 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 3: it just sounds weird. 633 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 2: It's kind of like I suppose it's how you use 634 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 2: that sadness and grief. But your positive purpose were your 635 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:52,480 Speaker 2: kids and now you know, just being with your children. 636 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 2: I was competing, yeah, and now compete going back to 637 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 2: getting on the surfboard and you know, Penguin helping you 638 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 2: through the process a champion, and then passing on your 639 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 2: knowledge as well and your mindset, which is so so 640 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 2: important I think, growing growing older and white and whiser, 641 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 2: but it's it's such an important aspect of life to 642 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:17,640 Speaker 2: be able to hand over to people, you know. 643 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 3: It's funny because talking about changing your mindset. Yeah, So 644 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 3: i'd been competing and I was in this category where 645 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 3: I had assistance. They pushed me out and then pushed 646 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 3: me onto a wave, so all I had to do 647 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 3: was like ride the wave. And so because because I've 648 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 3: got quite a bit of hardware like rids and screws 649 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 3: in my back, I find I find it really hard 650 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 3: to arch out to paddle, and so it was funny. 651 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 3: So two years ago, I was in Hawaii competing and 652 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 3: two days before the competition they said to me, oh, Sam, 653 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 3: we're going to reclassify you. I was like why, and 654 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 3: they're like, because you're looking stronger. I was like seriously, 655 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 3: I was like, wait, nothing's changed. And then so I 656 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 3: went in and then like no, we're gonna you're not 657 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 3: you get no assistance now, and I was like, oh 658 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 3: my god. Like two days before the calm, I'm like 659 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 3: and I was just like, oh my god. And I'm 660 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:12,479 Speaker 3: going to the girls, but I can't puddle, you know. 661 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 3: And she's like and then I'm like headspans exactly, and 662 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 3: she's like, well, you don't have a choice. And then 663 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 3: she's like she's like, well maybe don't you can just 664 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 3: do it for recreation, and I'm just like, oh my god, 665 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 3: Like in my head, I'm like, oh, embarrassing, I have 666 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 3: to like ring sponsors and go oh sorry, like you know, 667 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 3: I can't do it anymore. So I just figured, right, 668 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 3: I don't have a choice. I was in Waikiki and 669 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 3: I remember that night. I was so nervous and I'm like, 670 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 3: oh my god, how embarrassing if I go out there 671 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 3: and don't catch a wave. And then the next day 672 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 3: I just figured, we know what, Like, ever since the accident, 673 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 3: all I've wanted to do was to surf on my own. 674 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 3: And then I figured I'm up against the world champion 675 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 3: anyway for America, so I've got nothing to lose and yeah, 676 00:33:58,080 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 3: and I just thought, just go out there and do 677 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 3: your best and have fun. And it was so funny 678 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 3: the day of the comp like the day when I 679 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 3: was meant to compete, I talked to this American mom 680 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 3: and I'm going to the mom and like, Sarah, Sarah's 681 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 3: was my competitor, and I'm like, Sarah's pretty good, isn't she. 682 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,840 Speaker 3: And the mom goes, oh, yeah, she's going to mop 683 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 3: the floor with you. I'm just, oh, mate. 684 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 2: That's all I needed thank you so much. 685 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 3: I don't know. And so I went out there just 686 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 3: thinking just go out there and may just catch her 687 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:32,400 Speaker 3: wave and have fun. 688 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 2: No, you weren't. You were thinking go out there and 689 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:35,360 Speaker 2: kick her ass. 690 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:39,879 Speaker 3: I kind of nobody. Who's so funny because she's got 691 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:43,360 Speaker 3: a lot more ability than me. She's out there and 692 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 3: she's like paddling around, paddling around, and I'm just kind 693 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 3: of just waiting there. And yeah, it was funny. I 694 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:50,560 Speaker 3: was lucky, man. I got laid two good waves and 695 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 3: I beat her. So that to me, I don't know 696 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 3: who's if you change your mindset and don't look at 697 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 3: all the negatives and just kind of flip it, then 698 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 3: go shit, like you know, yeah, this is going to 699 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 3: be way more challenging, but you just kind of work 700 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 3: around it and kind of trying to have fun. 701 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you've certainly done that. Do you know what? You 702 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 2: are the epitome of improvised, adapt and overcome, because you know, 703 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:17,759 Speaker 2: we talk about having to improvise and adapt, and you've 704 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,760 Speaker 2: certainly overcome and going and it's such a positive story. 705 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 2: But also the story has been transformed into a major film. 706 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 3: Oh how funny. I know. May we had no intention. Well, 707 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:31,560 Speaker 3: you know, we had no intention of starting a book, 708 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,439 Speaker 3: of writing a book to begin with. It just came. 709 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,760 Speaker 3: It just came about. It's kind of quite organic. See. 710 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,359 Speaker 3: That started out as a joke, like when we first 711 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 3: found Penguin Chrise. Cam's a photographer and and Cam's taken 712 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:47,799 Speaker 3: always a million photos and the boys like, oh, dad, 713 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 3: why don't you start an Instagram count? And so we 714 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 3: did and we call it Penguin the Magpie. And then 715 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 3: a journalist from Australia saw it so much of in 716 00:35:57,760 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 3: the photos and then he wrote a story and it 717 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 3: went a bit crazy. And then that's when publishers were 718 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:06,200 Speaker 3: calling Cam going, we want to write a we want 719 00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 3: to do a book about you guys. Yeah, and we're 720 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 3: like what and so yeah, so that's the book came out. 721 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:17,400 Speaker 3: And then she's a producer from Australia happened to be 722 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:21,399 Speaker 3: best friends with Naomi, and so Emma gave Naomi our 723 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 3: book and yeah, Naomi read it to her kids and 724 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 3: just being a mum herself, it really resonated with her 725 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,879 Speaker 3: and she's like, I want to produce this and make 726 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 3: it into a film and play sam I was just 727 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 3: like what pretty crazy because it's so funny because we 728 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:39,960 Speaker 3: just asked, we're just a normal family, you know, and 729 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 3: then yeah, having a film made about us is pretty wild. 730 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 2: That's cool. Let's say it's not as cool as hell 731 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:46,879 Speaker 2: that is. 732 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:47,399 Speaker 1: Yeah. 733 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 3: You know who played Cam was Andrew Lincoln. Wow, he's 734 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 3: so awesome. He's the loveliest guy ever. And he was 735 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 3: so funny. It was so funny, mate because he was 736 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 3: here in as in Shah and so he was so 737 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 3: paranoid about nailing the Aussie accent and you'd have a 738 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 3: dialect coach and yeah, but he did such a great job. 739 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 3: So we're very lucky. I mean, Naomi, she's so lovely, souper, 740 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:16,440 Speaker 3: down to earth, just yeah, just an amazing person, and 741 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 3: says Andy, So yeah, we're super fortunate. 742 00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:22,839 Speaker 2: And I love that. Your second book, Heartache Bird Song, 743 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 2: What was it like writing that one? You know, having 744 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 2: that being your second book and having the mindset and 745 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 2: the knowledge that you have now. 746 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 3: No, it was good because essentially the first book is 747 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:39,640 Speaker 3: in Cam's voice, so that was calm, essentially telling our story. 748 00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 3: So it's mostly the first book was mostly just about 749 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:44,799 Speaker 3: Penguin and I and me kind of getting into kayaking 750 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 3: and kind of finding that purpose. Yeah, and so the 751 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 3: second book is kind of more about, in my perspective, 752 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 3: might be telling my own story. Yeah, so it's talking 753 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:58,839 Speaker 3: about traveling and yeah, many cam and there is there 754 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 3: is one story and it's kind of puts well for me. 755 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,600 Speaker 3: It puts everything into perspective. He was about my friend 756 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:08,360 Speaker 3: and his name was also Aunt and we met in 757 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,040 Speaker 3: West Africa on an overland expedition and he was you 758 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 3: know when you meet someone and you just instantly just 759 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:18,280 Speaker 3: become really good mates. So and I was super close. 760 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 3: And the truck was going from West Africa to East Africa, 761 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:24,799 Speaker 3: and I'd only paid for the West African bit. And 762 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:26,839 Speaker 3: then when I was in Bikina Faso, I had all 763 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,880 Speaker 3: my money stolen, so I couldn't keep going. So I 764 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,160 Speaker 3: had to fly back to London and that's cool. And 765 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:35,359 Speaker 3: so I was in London for a month and then 766 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 3: I went to Morocco with a friend and then went 767 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:40,440 Speaker 3: back to London and I was in a hostel and 768 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:45,439 Speaker 3: I remember, you know that song by Arim Everybody Hurts yep, 769 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 3: So that was on the video Hits or something, and 770 00:38:49,239 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 3: I remember looking down and I saw this. There was 771 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 3: a newspaper called TNT and the heading this heading was 772 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 3: was man killed by grenade attack, and I'm like, what 773 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 3: the hell? And I picked it up and I read 774 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:03,279 Speaker 3: it and it was my friend aunt and he'd been 775 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 3: killed in your gander. So I was just like, no way. 776 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:10,760 Speaker 3: So in the book, it's sort of like obviously tells 777 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 3: his story, but it sort of puts it into perspective 778 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:17,200 Speaker 3: because as much as I hate being paralyzed and I 779 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:18,680 Speaker 3: hate being it's like a new word chair, I am 780 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,520 Speaker 3: still grateful that I'm alive. And I'm sure that his 781 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:23,960 Speaker 3: family and aunt would do anything to have him alive, 782 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:25,439 Speaker 3: even if he was in a wheel chair. 783 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:31,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, And that's, you know, the overall factor of you know, gratitude. 784 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 2: It's the small things in life that once you've been 785 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 2: through you know, the meal and you've been through these experiences, 786 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:43,840 Speaker 2: these extreme experiences, you can really really you know, understand 787 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 2: and take hold of and be grateful that that you're 788 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 2: still here taking those breaths. 789 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:52,399 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, no, it's true, I know, and I am 790 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:54,279 Speaker 3: And yeah, like I said, as much as I hate 791 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,799 Speaker 3: being paralyzed, I am grateful. I mean, man, we still 792 00:39:57,840 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 3: get to live a great life, still get to travel 793 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 3: around the world. And you know, get to see the 794 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:03,359 Speaker 3: kids growing up to young men. 795 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:09,920 Speaker 2: So those gold medals as well. Wow, I let's not 796 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 2: forget those bad boys. Let's not forget those bad boys. 797 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 2: I know. 798 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 3: I've just did three competitions this year, so yeah, right 799 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 3: now I'm at the top. So next month, if you 800 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 3: I'll become full time WAD. 801 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:24,279 Speaker 2: Champions, hopefully you will be listening. Positive mindset. We are 802 00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 2: the epitome of positivity. You are the epitome of positivity. 803 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 2: Sam Bloom, Thank you ever so much. Good luck, go 804 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:31,799 Speaker 2: and get that for Thank you. 805 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,840 Speaker 3: Thank you mate, thank you for having me, Thanks. 806 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,320 Speaker 2: So much for joining me on Headgame. If you enjoyed 807 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:41,359 Speaker 2: this episode, make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss 808 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:44,800 Speaker 2: any of our incredible stories, and leave me a review 809 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:50,120 Speaker 2: wherever you're listening. I'm Aunt Middleton. Catch you again next time.