Gary's life took a drastic turn on the 25th of April 1994, when a truck accident left him grappling with physical limitations and the daunting prospect of rebuilding his life.
"It's not nice being stuck in a room, you know there's very little you can do when you can't get around that much. You almost go into a state of depression," Gary recalls.
Despite the challenges, Gary's resilient spirit persevered, but it wasn't until 2021, that he found renewed hope.
"Nobody wanted to get me out walking and things like that until 2021, and I came on board with my new crew that I've got now, and I can't speak highly enough of them," Gary says.
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James, an allied health professional, witnessed Gary's journey first-hand.
"If you asked me, I'd say his quality of life was not great. If you ask Gary, and Gary's such an upbeat person, he would say, 'oh well, no, it is what it is'," James reflects.
The ACC-driven program, Training for Independence, became Gary's beacon of hope.
James and Aimee, part of Gary's dedicated team from APM in New Zealand, worked to assess his needs and tailor interventions to his aspirations.
"Changes that I have implemented in Gary's life are not driven by me; it's driven by Gary," Aimee says.
"Gary's a very motivated man who wanted to achieve his goals around walking, mobilising, independence, and being out in the community."
Aimee says reflecting on Gary's progress is an important reminder for all us.
“I think until somebody has an injury or their health changes, we take a lot of things for granted.
“It's been such an honour to see, over a year and a half where he is now, and I know they still got a long way to go, but he's done an incredible job."
Gary's journey shows how compassion and dedicated support light the path to recovery and resilience.
With APM's guidance, Gary continues to stride towards his goals.
This video represents just one person’s journey and experience. The use of APM’s services should not replace advice or treatment from your registered Health Practitioner, nor should it delay or postpone you seeing your Health Practitioner about a health problem. APM Workcare Ltd, New Zealand wide.