Monday, 5 November 2007
"THAT'S LIFE" MAG ASSISTS IN PLEE FOR HELP
You can help put forward some info on Kev, must be done in next 24 hours!!! 'That's Life' magazine has agreed to do a feature article on Kev, in the attempt to bring forward witnesses so Kev can be eligible for third-party insurance. We need YOUR help to let everyone know what type of guy he was before the 'accident' and your memories and your hopes for him in the future. Please paste comments asap as story must be completed in next 24 hours. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS!!
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13 comments:
Alison please see my email with photos attached.
Much Love
Our brother-in-law and friend, Kevin Holmes, has always been a really easy-going guy with a ready smile and laugh. He has a great love of the sea and a wonderful way with children. The injuries that he has suffered this year are heartbreaking, but he is doing everything he can to fight his way back to a state in which he can have a better quality of life. We have nothing but admiration for the way that he and Alison are meeting this enormous challenge.
We are struck by two huge ironies. First, despite being a patient and careful driver, Kevin is now the victim of a terrible road catastrophe. Second, this caring man who has spent considerable time over recent years helping disabled people and their families is now in need of great care himself. While his family are investing mammoth efforts, we recognise that they also are in need of help from anyone who can lend their support in any way.
We hope that Kevin will be able to reach a stage where he can let people know his thoughts and wishes instead of having to endure the frustration of having people treat him in a different way because his appearance and character may have changed to some degree. It is our deep belief that Kevin remains himself inside his body and that he needs all the help he can get to regain some of his previous independence. We hope too that he will be able to get back to a more normal relationship with Alison and their daughters, for all of whom he has expressed his great love to us. We want to see our friend smile and laugh again and to be able to enjoy the precious little things in life that we all too often take for granted.
Although I havent seen Kevin for quite some time, I remember him as being a warm, caring person who had a great sense of humour and would do anything for anyone. I could see the deep love he had for Alison and his children, Although he can not express himself now the way he used to due the way his body has been left after the accident, I feel sure from what I have read from the messages left on our family site, from the family that has been around him since his devastating accident that he is doing the absolute best that he can to try to express himself verbally and physically once more. I really hope the story featured in That's life will bring forward some new information to find out what actually happened to cause this horrific accident, and to bring to light who was responsible. I think this could really help both Kevin and his family have some closure about the accident happening and help them to move forward with his rehibilitation. Alison and Kevin, I am thinking of you and your family often and wish you the best with this long road to recovery.
Love
Kirstin (Kevin's niece)
What can I say, I just remember him as always being cheerful, a very nice person. :)
I have some very strong memories of Kevin when he came over to Australia just after I had moved there. This was back in 1990 when he came of to help move his & Alison's bus from Coff's Harbour to Brisbane. Then and the many other times I have meet him, he has always been that gentle life loving guy that everyone loves to meet.
Keep trying Kevin. I only hope we can find more people to help with your recovery.
Love Jay (brother-in-law)
Humorous, loving, adventurous, caring and compassionate. These are some of the qualities I associate with my brother-in-law.
After going to Bunbury last year to assist Alison and Kevin in their business, I also realised what an empathetic man he is. The patience and love he
displayed toward all he encountered, was very humbling indeed.
My children remember him as being a smiling, happy, loving uncle who was full of the joy of life.
Kevin, our son-in-law, has been part of our life for nearly 30 years. He has always impressed us by his gentle presence with ourselves and his family. At the same time, guiding his four daughters in a quiet but strong way, to uphold what was important. Rules were made to be followed, respect was expected but in another interesting way, he created an exciting and diverse life for his family. Deep sea diving in Broome, creating a family home in New Zealand which was important to his NZ born wife, Alison. She loves the wider circle of her family and has continued in this way even from the wild West coast of Australia. Kevin loved the West Coast of Australia that must have been in his blood. I do hope it has not cost him his life!
The New Zealand support of ACC has enabled thousands of New Zealanders to recover and move into a new life. This from the smallest accident, to a hugely life-changing accident of a motor accident or similar.
It seems that this support is not the law of Western Australia and is consequently devastating to the family of Kevin who have to find the incredibly huge monetary requirements. For Kevin to be rehabilitated into the Land of the Living! Brain trauma accidents have no clear future as every case is different. The brain is our life. Without the signals, nothing works.
The Royal Perth Hospital has an international reputation for brain injury but when there are so many people in different circumstances needing total care and support. This naturally follows on to the distressed family who have no idea on how to cope, help, and support. If one visits these wards in the Hospital, one can see the family is right by the accident victim, holding the patient’s hands, sitting for hours and hours and sometimes, days. Alison and family have been involved for this for 5 months , sitting with Kevin. Also, family from other States and Countries as far away as Japan have travelled to provide help and encouragement.
We hope that Kevin will not be one of those who cannot be rehabilitated simply because the apparent event caused by another party cannot be proved so3rd party Insurance may not be available.
This family, which includes Alison and their four beautiful daughters, are struggling financially and emotionally and in every other way because of some thoughtless act by some other party. Also the family business of providing care for others less fortunate than ourselves, has been seriously effected from Alison and Kevin’s absence and so is further adding to the massive financial burden.
Kevin and Alison took my into their home in my hour of need. They showed me nothing less of love, care and compassion, and got me thru one of the hardest times in my life. I'm forever thankful for what they gave back to me. Kevin was always great fun to be around. He'd pick me up from high school on his beautiful red ducati then take it for a spin on the way home. But he was always sensible and safe, that's whats so unbelievable about this whole tragic event. He wasnt careless or reckless, but he was fun. He always cared about other people so much, and he loved all his girls unconditionally. He had many beautiful qualities that shone out of him. Nothing was ever to much to ask of him.
He cared for people who were challenged and he would take them camping and horse riding, all adventures that they otherwise may not have had the chance. But the thing is, he never did it begrudgingly but willing and happy to be helping people.
Much love to the entire holmes/munro family
What does one say about a man who has been so instrumental in changing my life as well as my sons? I first met Kevin a few years ago when I took the big step of allowing my disabled son to attend out of home respite. Kevin & Alison have a wonderful respite place in Bunbury called Holmes Vacations. I was greeted at the door by this gentle giant of a man with a smile that enveloped you.
His compassion for the disabled became apparent as he talked gently about what "they" could offer my son in the way of respite for me and enjoyment for him.
My son attended that summer and that was the beginning of what would become an amazing transformation in him...largely due to Kevin. Kevin put in many long hours with my son and because of him my son has developed socially.
Now everything is different. Since the accident Alison has had to handle the family, the business and care for Kevin. It has been devastating to her & the family and I can only begin to imagine the financial burden it has placed on this wonderful family.
Something has to be done for this family, it is totally UN Australian for someone NOT to come forward with information about the accident. They desperately need to be able to access third party payments for Kevin's ongoing care.
Please.....help this wonderful family.......
Dear family,
Thankyou from the bottom of my heart for all the beautiful messages phone calls and text messages you have been sending they have been making this horrific time in our lives that little bit easier, i cant tell you all how i feel because i seem to only have the energy to breathe at the moment and deal with each hour as it comes and goes, only a few hours before the accident did dad call me and tell me how much he loved me and my sisters little did i know later that evening i would see him on the road in the most terrifing situation at that moment my heart broke, i dont know how well you all new dad but i can assure you that he is one of the most beautiful caring relaxed man i know all he wants is to be happy and enjoy life, now i just can't believe its him lying there, all i am hoping for at the moment is that eventually he might wake up, i don't know what the next day next week or month will bring i just keep praying he will be ok.
Thankyou so much to joy and her family for coming on monday we really need it. Thankyou all and maybe later on dad will be able to read all of these messages and see how lucky we are to have you all.
All my love and heart felt thanks, your coisen, niece and grandaughter.
Renae xxxx
I can only re echo the feelings of other Holmes Vacations clients - our son almost worshipped Kevin, because of the man he was - just the ideal person for the business, strong, capable, unselfish, unflappable. If anyone has any thread of information, that may give Alison and Kevin some hope, please consider your own family in this situation, and come forward. Alison told me "it's a long road to nowhere", and that feeling of devastation is partly because of future financial pressure and no Third Party Insurance.
There have been amazing recoveries from brain injury, but ONLY with intensive rehabilitation - and that takes dollars.
Hi Alison! sorry for the late response, just wanted to express my love to you all and support for everything that is happening. All the best and please tell me if I can do anything.
- luv little bro - shaun
Hello Kevin,
I am your nephew's teacher (Corin) a mad Irish woman in Paris.
Just reading all the history I am amazed and find it hard to say anything. What hits me first is your courage and how lucky you are to have such a supportive wife and family.How many of us would just want to give up and be a victim. You and your family are winners. Thank you for giving us "ungrateful people" such wonderful example. Do you know of a man called Milton H Erickson? he is my hero. If ever you get the chance look him up.
Best Wishes
Emma O'Reilly
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