“I’ve never been a bloke to sit around,” said John Green from his wheelchair.
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And he still isn’t, metaphorically speaking at least, despite being left a quadriplegic after a car crash.
John grew up on a farm in Warrawillah, outside of Wingham on the Mid North Coast of NSW. He was always fascinated with Meccano sets as a child.
As a fully-fledged adult, John found his perfect place in the working world.
“I started work putting towers together for power substations - like big Meccano sets!” John said.
It was a job which took him around Australia.
In 2006 John was on leave and driving home from working on the Victorian border. Not two kilometres from home, he rolled his car.
“I was coming back to stay at [best mate] Damien’s. I was probably travelling quickly [because I wanted to] see Mum - give her a kiss, a hug, see ya, and then I was probably going to go back out to the fire shed, where we used to have a few drinks and get together, our local bushfire brigade.”
John spent the following six hours trapped in his car as emergency services cut him from the wreckage. His mate Damien was beside him the entire time giving support and encouragement.
After the accident John spent four and a half months in a coma and was in intensive care for more than 100 days. He was in Royal North Shore Hospital for over 12 months, and spent another eight months at Royal Rehab in Ryde.
I have a big passion for computers, and there’s nothing that can’t be done on a computer [by people] with disabilities.
- John Green
John now lives at home with his mother in Wingham and has two carers to help them at home and in the community with John’s very busy schedule.
He attends weekly hydrotherapy in Wingham and lifts weights at the YMCA gym in Taree, goes to TAFE and is heavily involved in committees.
John might not be able to climb big towers or fight fires anymore, but he found other passions to fill his life.
“I have a big passion for computers, and there’s nothing that can’t be done on a computer [by people] with disabilities,” John said.
He has become quite the expert in Dragon Naturally Speaking, a voice recognition program which allows him to use his computer largely by speech. So much so that local computer companies regularly refer customers having problems or needing help with the program to John.
His goal is to gain employment as a disability consultant in IT. To this end he has been gaining certificates in IT from TAFE and intends continuing with his studies.
What John is most proud of, though, is his work with national disability service Life Without Barriers (LWB).
In 2010 LWB sent an email to all clients asking if anyone was interested in helping to improve services with the not-for-profit organisation.
John took up the challenge, and was instrumental in forming the organisation’s Disability Services Advisory Council (DSAC), a council that gives voice to clients of LWB on the services they receive.
In 2010 DSAC was up and running, with John elected chairman.
“One of the biggest achievements is that we now interview our own carers. For someone like me in home care, that means I actually interview them. I get to meet them. I get to see them before they walk in my door. I interview them, then I pick them,” John said.
John has picked up a whole new skill set in attending, running and chairing meetings and is now teaching those skills to other people.
He helped set up the Northern Areas Client Council (NACC) and remains as co-chair. “But it’s their meeting, I merely chair it,” John explained.
He is also on the LWB national board sub-committee, a high-level practise committee, where he is an equal representative on the committee with board members.
“A big part of my life now is working for LWB because it keeps me busy, and I like to be busy. I can’t stand sitting doing nothing,” John said.
“I’d take a week off between jobs, and after two days at home I’d start pacing because I had nothing to do. Even now I’m still reasonably active.
“What I’ve achieved in my 43 years [pre-accident] was quite amazing. And still, what I’m achieving now, I think it’s pretty amazing.”