Stories & Achievements: Brenden’s Story
Brenden’s story: making the most of it
In 2013 I was in town getting on the drink. I jumped on the Harley and went to a mates place, no problem. Then I was riding back to West Wallsend to get smokes and went full tilt down the inside of four cars, my leg hit a reflector post and I crashed. I went nineteen metres into the air and landed on my head. I died twice and spent two months in a coma.
My left arm doesn’t work. I don’t have balance and my memory is screwed. But other than that I actually love being like this. I may have died twice, but you only get once chance at life.
I used to be an underground mechanical fitter on a good wage and I actually like my life now more than before the accident. Even though I had more money and whatever. Just the people I’ve met, things I’ve done. It’s how you make it for yourself, how you deal with yourself. So move along with your life. Don’t be regretful or feel sorry for yourself.
“My life, My way. I got that tattoo ten months before my accident and I still live by it. There’s no point in trying to live by someone else’s way when it’s your life, ‘cos you’re the one that’s got to live with yourself.”
In 2018 I went to Sturgis in the USA, the biggest motorcycle rally in the world. I’ve been wanting to go to Sturgis for twenty years. I love Harley’s even though I crashed one and I’m like this for it. I was in America for three weeks and loved it! I went with two of my support buddies. We went to the Harley factory in Milwaukee, to Nashville because I love country music, Las Vegas. Thank you retirement! I’m hopefully going to Ireland in 2022.
Headstart have been very compassionate and kind and helpful since I started in 2013. Each day I get up at about 6.30, have a shower and go outside for a smoke. At 7am I go straight down to the Lake for coffee.
My support workers help by cooking me food and driving me around and doing whatever they have to do. Putting me to bed and keeping my wheelchair charged. I have seen other people’s support but they don’t compare to Headstart. I have support 24/7 which I need but sometimes I like a bit of independence so I’ll spend a half and hour wandering around Bunnings on my own and then meet them out the front after.
Because I live in a holiday park I can’t have a dog or a cat. Before moving here my last dog was an Australian bull terrier. I used to have a dog Diesel who was over 70kg. Born for pigging but never went.
So I thought why not have a decent size fish tank. When I was in America at Vegas they have a big aquarium in the middle of Ceasar’s Palace. And I fell in love with it there. So now I’ve got a big salt water fish tank with about nine fish, three starfish and five hermit crabs and coral I love them! My tank is 250 litres and four foot long. Thank you mum… or thank you old girl!
I can't recommend Petquarters in Belmont enough for their help and knowledge. I’ve got a Foxface, a dragonnet, three green chromis’s, and more fish.
“I just love looking at them and they just calm me down. And it gives me something to be responsible for.”
Believe it or not I actually like my life more now than when I didn’t have a brain injury. Because I was very brain injured without even having one! Nah, life’s different but it’s like everything in life you’ve just got to deal with it. You do what you can. Deal with the things you’ve been dealt. That’s the biggest advice I can say, even with a brain injury. Make the most of it.
