Wounds and Wings: Trauma and Growth, Hardship and Freedom June 6th, 1981 — my first memory. From the very beginning, life was a blend of vivid wonder and creeping shadows. I remember crawling through green grass chasing grasshoppers, the white bull terrier that wandered past our house, and the towering sand dune that felt like a mountain. But I also remember the chaos that would define my childhood — broken promises, abuse, and secrets that would shape me forever. Soft ballerina curtains symbolized everything I dreamed of: beauty, grace, and escape. Yet, life had other plans. My mother’s choices, a violent stepfather, and a world filled with betrayal and trauma tested me beyond what any child should endure. Even so, moments of luck, love, and small victories — from fishing with my nana to standing up for myself in school — offered fleeting freedom. Through rebellious adolescence, heartbreak, and reckless decisions, I fought to survive. From Darwin to Mareeba, Mullumbimby to the Gold Coast, I navigated a world of chaos, discovering independence, heartbreak, and first love. I faced predators, loss, and unimaginable responsibility, yet I refused to be broken. Wounds and Wings is a raw, unflinching memoir of resilience, survival, and the search for freedom. It is the story of a childhood stolen, a spirit tested, and a life that, against all odds, found its wings.
June 6th, 1981 — my first memory. I was wondering what it would be like out there, and then suddenly I’m standing in a cot in my room. I can hear my mother and my nana talking. It sounds like my nana is telling her off.Fast forward a bit, and I feel the green grass on my belly as I crawl along, chasing a grasshopper that will soon meet its end under the sprinkler. In the distance, I see Grumpy — o ...
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