Jeffrey Finlay is an Indigenous artist living in North Queensland. He currently lives with three others in a group home with the assistance of carers. Jeffrey acquired a disability at the age of 18 following a car accident. Jeffrey started painting following his accident. He uses a mouth guard which assists him to paint using his mouth. Jeffrey is in the process of painting part of his life story to submit to 1000 Voices to accompany this interview transcript.

When I understood the meaning of life.

Hi I am a young girl living in Australia in the suburbs of sydney. I have 1 brother and 1 sister who are my best friends aswell. I am the youngest and most pampered. . I moved to Sydney when I was 12.My life in high school was unforgettable, with lots of great friends and the best family I enjoyed my teen years with great joy, going out was common and my life was all about fun, a healthy and happy life,but I guess I took a lot for granted and didn’t value the real things.

On the 17th of September, Friday, I was 20 years old and developing my independence; I had moved out of home with my boyfriend, I had a job at a pharmacy and I was experiencing what it was like to live as an adult in the “real world”. 

Personal History of Ken Aitken ....

I, Ken Aitken had a very severe brain injury in December 1995 while surfing at Peregian Beach in Queensland, Australia I fell off a boogie-board in metre of water, hit my head on the sand and ended up in the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane in December 1996. I was in a coma for four weeks and it took six months in hospital before I was able to walk, talk and function in a reasonably normal manner. I had suffered a severe brain injury and I wasn’t expected to live.

Attached files: 

The_Rose_Water_Story.pdf