Beyond Brain Injury: ABI Ambassadors
Craig Johnston
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Craig Johnston grew up in the Hunter, and his dream was always to be the greatest soccer player in the world. Nicknamed “Skippy” Craig played professionally as a midfielder in the English Football League between 1977 and 1988, winning five league titles and an FA Cup (scoring in the 1986 final) with Liverpool where he made 271 appearances and scored 40 goals overall.
Craig’s career ended prematurely at 27 years old when his sister Faye had a serious brain injury. “I was getting ready to go to the club Christmas party when I received a phone call from my Mum saying ‘your sister’s had a dreadful accident’”. Faye was in Morocco at the time and suffered from butane gas inhalation while in her hotel. Craig immediately flew to Tangier, and brought her back to London by air ambulance. After being in a coma for three weeks and on New Year’s eve in 1986 Faye woke up and smiled, but Craig and his parents realised that Faye may never be the same again.
Craig decided to keep things private at that stage. “We all thought Faye would get better but she didn’t. Time went on and we tried all sorts of things, took her to Malaysia, to neurologists… nobody could help. So I retired from football, it was a big decision. It was time to go home. Once back in Australia we realised that Faye wasn’t getting better and apparently she never would”.
“Headstart was so important because they understood brain damage and brain injury, and nobody else did. ”
“It’s all about not just understanding the problem, neurologically, but also the effect on the family. And that’s why Headstart was our only saviour, and still is to this day. Brain injury is such a specialised and horrific thing. Every case is different and your heart bleeds. You’ve got to not do it on your own, work with people who understand the 360 of brain injury and the impact on the family as well.”
“We were hoping… and poor old Faye has never come right. We’re still hoping. I’m a hopeful person. Always have been, and that’s what let to my success on the soccer field. But there’s wonderful people out there – Headstart – that fully understand the pressure, and the hurt and the pain, and the love that you all need to get through.”
