A Bloody Paraplegic's Story.

 
   

A Bloody Paraplegic
My life.

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Before becoming a Bloody t3 Paraplegic I was very happy. I had a Dad, Mum, two sisters and a brother all younger than me and I didn't have a care in the World.

I was born on the 1st of October 1946 at St John of Gods hospital, Subiaco, Perth, Western Australia (I am now 64 - October 1st 2010) and spent the early part of my life in Floreat park.

I have already mentioned the 'girls' that played a large part in my life but of course you can't do an awful lot without wonderful parents. My dad worked in a Spare Parts shop in Perth city and Mum looked after the house and the kids. I have two sisters and a brother all younger than me.
We weren't rich but we wanted for nothing.

I went to St Josephs College in Wembley and then Marist Brothers college in Subiaco but was not very good at school and only went because that's what you did. Taking my Junior (third year) exam was going to be a waste of every ones time so I left school at the age of 15 and started work at Walsh's Menswear store in Perth where my uncle was a floorwalker.

At school I played Australian Rules football and Tennis and had taken up push bike racing. I was moderately successful given the amount of time I was riding. Much to the dismay of my Mum given my accident, my little brother took up cycling and went on to greater things while Dad also took up cycling in his later years.

It was while I was riding that I met Robert Busselato, or Ding Bob as he was later to become known. That's possibly not politically correct these days but he says he is a Ding and his name is Bob. He came to live with us for a while and has remained a good friend to this day. (Ding is a slang name for Italian as Aussie is for Australian). I don't get offended when someone calls me an Aussie or even an Aussie prick - but then I think we Aussies are a little more thick skinned than most these days.

I had a couple of best mates Stonk (Stephen Fletcher) and Gigs (Gavin Antonovich) and we spent a lot of time just having fun. We did a lot of hitch hiking to and from City Beach in summer to do a bit of surfing, and I can't remember doing what I did in winter apart from playing Australian rules football.

I am not sure when I lost track of Stonk and Gigs but from memory we tended to go in separate directions when I took up cycling and certainly when I started work. I don't remember seeing them after becoming a Bloody t3 Paraplegic.


Top: Mum, with me looking the other way, doing a bit of fishing. This was a fairly typical Sunday family outing.

 
Above: Mum recently passed away peacefully after a brief illness, aged 90. She was laid to rest on Thursday 14th July 2011. She was everything and more that a son could have wished for and she will be missed.

I have fond memories of going to the Claremont Speedway every Friday night with my Dad when the season was on and then during the footy season, to Leederville Oval to watch West Perth, or the Cardies, play AFL football Saturday afternoons.

On Sundays more often than not we would all pile into Dad's Customline and go for a drive and a picnic. The Customline was his pride and joy and I was to later slam into a tree.

Fairly typical Sunday picnic. From right my Sister Carolyn and Mum and a friend.

But without a doubt the fondest memories of my early years were of time spent with my favorite kissin' cousin Jan who was my first and only puppy love. I absolutely adored her.

Don't get me wrong, all we did was kiss and cuddle but we did lots of it.

Jan lived in Geraldton where my Mum came from, so most of the time spent together was in the school holidays either in Geraldton or when she came to Perth.

Geraldton and in particular Wonthella was a great place to go for holidays but of course Jan was a major part of the attraction.

Photo above right: Mums parents place in Wonthella. Carolyn, Mums Dad, me and Tex and it looks like Uncle Bill in the background.

Mums parents place in Geraldton. I loved staying there.
Above: Jan, me and cousins, brothers and sisters. Above photo(s) taken at my place in Floreat. Jan, me, Stonk, Gigs and my little brother in front.

I remember walking to the outdoor movies and back, on gravel roads, and always picking up a double gee or two on the way.

I also remember having a lot of fun swimming within the shark enclosed bit of sea in Geraldton. I think I will get my ashes dropped in that area once I am dead.

Geraldton: That's Dads Customline and me with Tex my dog.

I am not sure when Jan and I started to be kissin' cousins but we certainly were after my accident which of course didn't hurt my self esteem as she continued to see me as I was prior to my prang. However we were both out of school and Geraldton was a long way away. I went up there a few times and Jan came to Perth a few times and we sort of stopped being kissin' cousins. I would have been around 18ish. Jan got married and had kids and I haven't seen her for a long time. I keep promising myself that I will ring but for whatever reason I don't.

(2011 this part to be updated)

continued Cycle Racing









2010

 
A Bloody Paraplegic John Dwyer