Stories & Achievements: Romeo’s Story
Romeo’s story: 25 years and going strong
Romeo has been involved with Headstart in different ways for a quarter of a century. We took some time recently to ask Romeo a few personal questions. This is his story.
What caused your brain injury?
It was a motor vehicle accident when I was doing St John. I had my two best friends in the car We collided with another vehicle and I had the brain injury from that. I have no memory of the accident at all.
What changed for you after that?
Not being able to work, not be able to earn your own money. The way people treat you once they know or are aware you have a brain injury. You get treated differently you get looked at differently, or you get people who walk widely around you because they’re scared they might catch it.
Emotionally the biggest challenge is mostly learning who caused my two best friends to die on that night, and not knowing. That’s what tears me up inside. Watching the news a single driver accident is alright with me but when there is one, two and three passengers it always comes back and triggers me.
There are a few physical limitations on what I can do. But I’m a person that I push myself to do things. I’ve always done that. Even when I was working, I push myself to get the work done. I try not to take the easy way out. Which I think helps with the improvement of one’s injuries.
“I was down at the Brain Injury Service in Newcastle and they told me about Headstart and what they do, and that was in ‘95.”
What’s it like being independent and having your own house?
People look at you a lot better when you say you live by yourself. They accept that a lot easier. Even though they don’t know that I have got a brain injury you tell them that “I live by myself I live independently” and they are fine with that. It’s great to be able to come and go where I want any time I want and do what I want.
What are the main challenges relating to your injury?
It is hard. Yes. To accept the challenges but I have to re-learn things as well. Because when it happened what happened I can’t change it. I have to learn to accept and deal with it as it is. That’s going to be a long process a very long process. The rest of my life.
What do you want to achieve in the future?
The main thing I want to achieve is to get back into a relationship if I can. To help my kids, to give them a little bit more support.
How is Headstart helping you with achieving your priorities?
I have two people that come here regularly, every week. Doing the basics with cooking, learning to go out, seeing places, that’s helping me in progressing to do those sort of things. Helping me with my bills, money, which is a big plus. Because of that, without them I don’t know what I’d do. They give you a lot of understanding and acceptance in your capabilities and the things that you can do.
What are you most proud of since starting with Headstart?
I’m most proud of being involved in the Community Education Team with the traffic offender program talks that we also do for schools. We talk to people that listen. Sometimes they come up to say they appreciate what you did and what you’ve what you’re doing after what you have been through. I’ve learned a lot I’m changing my style now. That gives us, I just can’t put it in the right words to say, is a big “thank you”. That way it feels like you’re appreciated for what you have been through and what you’re trying to do to help them.
“I enjoy going to the schools and a lot of them tend to listen. They ask you good relevant questions as well, and with the responses you get back to them it’s very rewarding.
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What do your support workers mean to you?
A lot! I wouldn’t be where I am now, my life would be totally different without Headstart. We would be six foot down or something else or in prison. Because with the lack of understanding and the outrages that we get, we can’t understand things. With Headstart they are teaching us but have also taught us how to cope with that discretion and help to manage it. We get positive answers, help from the co-workers and people from Headstart.
