New Wheelchair for Tom
Donation protected
Meet Tom Sharpen. Born in Mackay on December 24th 1990. Tom and his younger brother Sam grew up like so many in this area, with the love of motorbikes, camping and playing in the great outdoors. Life was simple and happy.
Left to right - Sam (Brother), Leisha (Aunty), Dawn (Mother) & Tom.
On 28th of April 2012, the day his family was preparing for his Mothers 50th Birthday party, Tom went out for a quick ride on his motorbike. Living in Brandy creek now there were a few tracks he'd rode often usually with his mates but that day he was on his own.
As he was racing through the fields having the time of his life something unexpected happened. Tom doesn't have any memory of the actual accident and knew nothing about it until 5 days later when he woke from his coma at Brisbane hospital. This is what those who found him and doctors have pieced together;
Tom lost control of his bike hitting a tree then a rock. Tom a few metres away was laying unconscious until 2 people stumbled across him. The ambulance was called and another person passing who happened to be a doctor had a neck brace in her car and placed that around his neck. A firetruck happened to also be passing and stopped to help. He was in a neck brace and on a body board as the ambulance arrived. Tom was rushed to Proserpine hospital and airlifted to Townsville from there. Once in Townsville his injuries were too severe and he was airlifted to Brisbane. All the while with his mother Dawn by his side. She wouldn't be celebrating her 50th Birthday that day and still now she is anxious around her birthday and refuses to celebrate like she deserves.
Tom woke from his coma 5 days later and was in Intensive care for 3 weeks. He was revived twice by doctors, once 10,000ft above ground on his way to Brisbane.
Tom in hospital - Day of the accident
He suffered a broken back, neck, spinal cord damage, and head injuries. His family were told to prepare that he may not wake from his coma but he pulled through like the champion he is!
Tom spent the next 2.5 months in Brisbane hospital and another month in rehab learning his new way of life. He is now a complete paraplegic with no sensation, feeling or movement from the waist down.
Government funded agents arranged for Tom's first and only wheelchair to date. He also received a pay out from his Superannuation which was used to modify his parents’ home with ramps and rails, his bathroom to accommodate his wheelchair, his special needs bed, pillows and exercise equipment and to live on until he could find himself a job to support himself.
Before the accident Tom was a qualified painter however its no longer possible for him to paint homes so he was left trying to find a job as a paraplegic painter. I for one remember Tom being so disheartened when he struggled to find work and having to explain to the government that he still needed his disability pension for a little longer. I just assumed if you were in that situation the government would help you out for the rest of your life but that’s not how it works. He was told that if he cannot find work in the Whitsundays then he would need to move to a larger city like Brisbane where he may....may have more success. Leaving his family and friends at the hardest time of his life was not an option so he lives on the little money he receives from the pension.
Unable to just go through the motions Tom worked really hard to find himself a job. Eventually he found someone who would teach him to weld so he travels to Bowen weekly for lessons with the goal of becoming a fantastic welder which would open some job opportunities for him in the area.
Trying to adapt to the roll of a paraplegic has been the biggest challenge for Tom and his family since the accident. As he was 21 years old at the time, in his prime as a young adult, living out of home to literally in a blink of an eye have his whole world turned upside down. He moved back in with his parents and has had to learn his new body and new life. It hasn't been easy but Tom has always stayed positive and with the support of his family and friends he's conquering life.
Tom and Sam enjoying a cold one
Tom being a joker camping with his mates.
Tom with Zharli, his beautiful dog.
Trevor, Ryan, Tom and Sam.
A major part of Tom's life was the great outdoors. He's a lover of roughing it in the bush, hunting, 4wding, fishing and camping but he's extremely restricted. Obviously physically however he's learnt to utilise his wheelchair like a new set of legs. The wheelchair that he has is now almost 5 years old. It's been a fantastic wheelchair but restricts his use to roads and footpaths. Tom's new goal is to get back out to nature, to camp with his friends, take his dog for real walks through the bush, go fishing and not be held back.
This Go Fund Me page is to raise enough money to purchase the 'All Terrain Wheelchair' designed and built by 'Wicked Wheelchairs'. This new wheelchair is built to 'conquer the toughest terrain' allowing Tom the freedom to go and do what he used to before the accident with his new set of legs, so to say.
Knowing Tom before the accident and now after, I can say that if anyone deserves to have everything the world can offer him, its Tom. He has taken what life gave him and worked even harder to be the best he can be with it. He's an inspiration to all of us who take our lives for granted. He's positive, funny and always willing to go the extra mile. We're truly blessed to call him our friend and that he fought so hard to live through his accident. Nothing can hold him back and he's proven that so many times!!
So lets get together and help a local kid out. We're hoping to raise $8K which will get Tom this bad boy!!
All Terrain wheelchair by Wicked Wheel chairs.
Recently Tolita Dukes from 8 Seconds Marketing released this amazing book 'Where we live' celebrating exactly that, where we live; Airlie Beach. Tom and his brother Sam are in the book along with so many locals! 'Where we live' is for sale for $30.00 each. Tolita has donated a whole heap of these books to Tom, to be sold with all proceeds going to Tom's new wheel chair. If you would like to purchase a copy please contact me.

Left to right - Sam (Brother), Leisha (Aunty), Dawn (Mother) & Tom.On 28th of April 2012, the day his family was preparing for his Mothers 50th Birthday party, Tom went out for a quick ride on his motorbike. Living in Brandy creek now there were a few tracks he'd rode often usually with his mates but that day he was on his own.
As he was racing through the fields having the time of his life something unexpected happened. Tom doesn't have any memory of the actual accident and knew nothing about it until 5 days later when he woke from his coma at Brisbane hospital. This is what those who found him and doctors have pieced together;
Tom lost control of his bike hitting a tree then a rock. Tom a few metres away was laying unconscious until 2 people stumbled across him. The ambulance was called and another person passing who happened to be a doctor had a neck brace in her car and placed that around his neck. A firetruck happened to also be passing and stopped to help. He was in a neck brace and on a body board as the ambulance arrived. Tom was rushed to Proserpine hospital and airlifted to Townsville from there. Once in Townsville his injuries were too severe and he was airlifted to Brisbane. All the while with his mother Dawn by his side. She wouldn't be celebrating her 50th Birthday that day and still now she is anxious around her birthday and refuses to celebrate like she deserves.
Tom woke from his coma 5 days later and was in Intensive care for 3 weeks. He was revived twice by doctors, once 10,000ft above ground on his way to Brisbane.
Tom in hospital - Day of the accidentHe suffered a broken back, neck, spinal cord damage, and head injuries. His family were told to prepare that he may not wake from his coma but he pulled through like the champion he is!
Tom spent the next 2.5 months in Brisbane hospital and another month in rehab learning his new way of life. He is now a complete paraplegic with no sensation, feeling or movement from the waist down.
Government funded agents arranged for Tom's first and only wheelchair to date. He also received a pay out from his Superannuation which was used to modify his parents’ home with ramps and rails, his bathroom to accommodate his wheelchair, his special needs bed, pillows and exercise equipment and to live on until he could find himself a job to support himself.
Before the accident Tom was a qualified painter however its no longer possible for him to paint homes so he was left trying to find a job as a paraplegic painter. I for one remember Tom being so disheartened when he struggled to find work and having to explain to the government that he still needed his disability pension for a little longer. I just assumed if you were in that situation the government would help you out for the rest of your life but that’s not how it works. He was told that if he cannot find work in the Whitsundays then he would need to move to a larger city like Brisbane where he may....may have more success. Leaving his family and friends at the hardest time of his life was not an option so he lives on the little money he receives from the pension.
Unable to just go through the motions Tom worked really hard to find himself a job. Eventually he found someone who would teach him to weld so he travels to Bowen weekly for lessons with the goal of becoming a fantastic welder which would open some job opportunities for him in the area.
Trying to adapt to the roll of a paraplegic has been the biggest challenge for Tom and his family since the accident. As he was 21 years old at the time, in his prime as a young adult, living out of home to literally in a blink of an eye have his whole world turned upside down. He moved back in with his parents and has had to learn his new body and new life. It hasn't been easy but Tom has always stayed positive and with the support of his family and friends he's conquering life.
Tom and Sam enjoying a cold oneTom being a joker camping with his mates. Tom with Zharli, his beautiful dog.Trevor, Ryan, Tom and Sam. A major part of Tom's life was the great outdoors. He's a lover of roughing it in the bush, hunting, 4wding, fishing and camping but he's extremely restricted. Obviously physically however he's learnt to utilise his wheelchair like a new set of legs. The wheelchair that he has is now almost 5 years old. It's been a fantastic wheelchair but restricts his use to roads and footpaths. Tom's new goal is to get back out to nature, to camp with his friends, take his dog for real walks through the bush, go fishing and not be held back.
This Go Fund Me page is to raise enough money to purchase the 'All Terrain Wheelchair' designed and built by 'Wicked Wheelchairs'. This new wheelchair is built to 'conquer the toughest terrain' allowing Tom the freedom to go and do what he used to before the accident with his new set of legs, so to say.
Knowing Tom before the accident and now after, I can say that if anyone deserves to have everything the world can offer him, its Tom. He has taken what life gave him and worked even harder to be the best he can be with it. He's an inspiration to all of us who take our lives for granted. He's positive, funny and always willing to go the extra mile. We're truly blessed to call him our friend and that he fought so hard to live through his accident. Nothing can hold him back and he's proven that so many times!!
So lets get together and help a local kid out. We're hoping to raise $8K which will get Tom this bad boy!!
All Terrain wheelchair by Wicked Wheel chairs.Recently Tolita Dukes from 8 Seconds Marketing released this amazing book 'Where we live' celebrating exactly that, where we live; Airlie Beach. Tom and his brother Sam are in the book along with so many locals! 'Where we live' is for sale for $30.00 each. Tolita has donated a whole heap of these books to Tom, to be sold with all proceeds going to Tom's new wheel chair. If you would like to purchase a copy please contact me.
Organiser
Gina S
Organiser
Woodwark, QLD