Stories & Achievements: Wayne B’s Story
Wayne B’s story: Just do it
Wayne is a rec group regular and attends as many of our activities as possible. We met up with Wayne and one of his regular support workers, Adam, at our Australia Day BBQ.
Wayne is a big West Tigers fan, dating back to when they were called Balmain Tigers. “Tigers are the best. Wayne Pearce is number one! He played in ’89.”
Not having ever lived in Balmain, Wayne was born in West Wyalong in Central NSW and then moving to Dubbo. “The bush is the best place,” says Wayne who loves country music. “Slim Dusty is the best.”
Support Worker Adam prompts Wayne, “What do we play in the car every time we get in?” Wayne responds, “Take me home, country roads.”
“Wayne loves John Denver, and he loves to sing it too!”
“I had a car prang at 28, head on with a truck. It nearly killed me,” remarks Wayne, who used some unprintable words to describe what he thought of the truck driver. Life changed for him in an instant. “It broke mum’s heart. I love my mum. She’s so good.”
Wayne’s mum and younger brother Michael visit him regularly at the aged care facility that he calls home. “I go out to lunch with my mum. I’m also an uncle to baby Joshua.”
“Headstart take me to where the girls are,” jokes Wayne, as he loves to get out and about. CSW Adam adds, “Wayne loves to go out to all the events and be social. Everyone loves him at the aged care and he also has some good friends there.”
“Adam is an ace guy. A cool dude!” says Wayne, to which Adam responds, “Thanks Wayne, you’re a cool dude too… when you’re behaving!”
They clearly have good banter going on and this makes their regular shifts together fun. Wayne has similarly good relationships with other support workers across the week.
Asked what his goals for the future are, Wayne says “To get a blonde wife, with long, long hair.” Wayne’s sense of humour keeps the Rec group amused.
“Bowling is the best. I love ten pin and lawn bowls. I like the beach. I like to go out and socialise. I like the girls. I love the food, the sausages are the best.”
“Curried sausages are actually his favourite, but he’ll put up with barbecue snag,” says Adam at the Australia Day BBQ they were attending at the time of this interview. “Wayne and I mainly go to the Rec BBQ’s and things like the museum on Wednesdays. He loves chatting.”
Wayne has some difficulty communicating but that doesn’t stop him making every effort to be social.
“The OT comes to see Wayne quite regularly to help keep him comfortable. They’re constantly adjusting his chair and straps and things,” says Adam. “Wayne is very excited as soon as I see him for the shift, he’s very keen to get going. But then he’s always excited when he gets home at the end of it. So he’s a very positive person I would say. Positive about everything.
He loves all the nurses and he loves all the people he lives with. He likes to talk to everyone.”
“I support the Knights and Wayne’s always giving me a hard time. I remind him that the Tigers were wooden spooners last year!” laughs Adam.
“Wayne’s a nice bloke, a general all round good guy! He’ll do as much as he can within his abilities and he has a great sense of humour. I always go and chat to him and I also don’t care that he’s a Tigers fan!”
“Wayne has a big heart. It’s always a joy to see Wayne at Rec on Wednesdays and he doesn’t let the wheelchair stop him doing things.”
