Survivors

I met Jody Reeves in 1999. I was unemployed and basically living in filth.

She was a domestic abuse survivor, a hard working factory worker and had two young kids to feed.

After we met neither of us could hardly scrap together $3.50 for a counter meal at the local pub.

I had just got back from a four day drinking binge in Brisbane and had spent all my money on alcohol, drugs and escorts.

We moved in together the same day we met.

Stephanie and Jakob were still quite young when I moved in. I had to step up and be a dad. I stepped up efforts to find a job to continue my apprenticeship and started working night shift 4 nights on 4 nights off as a CNC machinist at the local foundry.

I wasn't a very good dad. I was so confused, messed up and struggling emotionally to even get up most mornings let alone give kids the attention they needed.

From day one, Jody and I done everything together. She was such a spirited person and an inspiration to me. Her enthusiasm and strength during difficult times lit the path for my journey.

Money eluded us in the early days and everything seemed such a struggle.

We spent every spare cent we got building a garden. An escape from all the pain we had. It gave us something positive to do. Something cheap we could complete together and bound over. I look over these days with happy memories and the starting point to my healing.

Jody gave me confidence. She believed in me and encouraged me to follow my dreams.

She was and still is the most unselfish person in the world. She worked hard as a factory worker while I investigated ways to eliminate our poverty.

Jody's dedication to our cause was unwavering despite suffering emotional and physical pain on a continual basis for many years.

Jody was always there helping me. We spent every chance we had together and Jody was always their with a smile to help out.

Our old utes and cars always seemed to need repairs and together we rebuild many motors from scratch together.

As a family living in poverty Jody and I always tried our best to make our living conditions better. We completed a lot of renovations ourselves, however, we were always scared to have visitors or let the kids have friends over just in case someone complained to authorities and we got the kids taken of us due to the poor living conditions.

While having no money and poor living conditions and always worried about child safety with open electrical switches, wiring and no ceiling, walls or kitchen in our house, Jody always was smiling. This made me try harder to earn money and I became obsessed in working out methods to get out of poverty and make our house fit for human living.

As I matured and we grew more financially capable our small family started to grow up. I always struggled being a father but I grew into the role of making money so Jody could spend more time with the kids. Jody has always been the rock, the wise voice of reason and support for me, the kids and all my endevours

Every year we worked hard and improved our living conditions and continued to bond.

Even through some of the toughest times we managed a smile or two and always worked hard to enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life.

It has always been and always will be me and Jody verse the world.

We have been inseparable for 20 years.

It hasn't always been easy. We did have arguments and fights, however, Jody's maturity and kind nature always seemed to work things out.

We managed to get out a few times for holidays and the occasional fishing trips. This was Jodys first ever Barramundi. We always tried to find ways to take away from negative thoughts.

Jody was always happy to get out of the house.

Despite things starting to go ok Jody still was empty. She was missing something.

Jody was desparitly wanting another baby. She gave birth to a little miracle in 2002. Kallis Hold my beautiful little son.

My single most greatest achievement was contributing to the creation of a beautiful baby boy.

I was a little wiser and knew a little more about kids this time round though still didn't cope very well as a loving father. Though I constantly tried to improve and offered support whenever I could.

My beautiful family.

I know this is a business page but why do we do what we do. For me it has always has been and always will be about my family.

While we all are a little older, whether beaten and often tied and worn out. We survived.

Happy 20th Anniversary Jody Reeves.

Thanks for always being there for me.