First, they prepared to say goodbye. Next, they wrote a screed to the doctors and hospital begging to bring him home. Now, about a year later, Daryl’s family is in awe of the health improvements brought about through Helping Hand’s Allied Health services. Daryl is living at home with his beloved wife Sue and regaining strength and capability.

Not long before the first of four medical episodes, Daryl had undergone a medical assessment for work. As usual, the report was essentially ‘fit as a fiddle’ which made the sudden decline in his health incredibly difficult for everyone to comprehend. As his stepdaughter Chelsea explains, ‘he was the one that could do anything and who would do anything for anyone’.

‘Daryl was always “Mr Fix It”. To see him change was incredibly challenging because in many ways he lost his identity. But he never lost his spirit or his character. To see his strength increase, and to see him at his easel painting again, is the most heartening thing for all of us. My Mum is now a 24/7 carer. Her life has also changed completely. Daryl improving means that her life is also a little bit easier and that’s a huge relief for me.”

When Sue first met Daryl, it was at the swimming pool, a location that featured heavily in Daryl’s life. Growing up, he was more interested in sport than school and diving was his passion. He left school early, much to his parents’ disappointment, and got a job packing shoes. That ended quickly due to him getting caught taking time off to go diving. His talents were significant. He earned himself a sports scholarship and eventually a worldwide reputation as a coach, judge and competition manager. He is responsible for setting up a successful diving community in Singapore. Daryl didn’t only make a splash in the diving world (a small one in the pool, of course) he also became South Australia’s first ever male house mother, having completed a diploma in social work.

He’s also a painter and in keeping with his rich and interesting existence, Daryl found out at age 54 that he had been adopted and he is Aboriginal.

Daryl is most likely to claim meeting Sue as one of his greatest achievements. The day she brought her daughter Emma across town for a competition, laid eyes on Daryl and subsequently fell in love, both their lives changed for the better. Sue talks about their shared life with much joy and pride.

‘When I met Daryl, he’d spent eight years raising three boys on his own. We became the Brady Bunch after a while and have had a wonderful life. We both became involved with diving and after we retired in 2013, we lost our hearts in Cambodia. We got involved in a small rural community, relishing the chance to do something to help. While we were still being flown back to Singapore to help run diving programs, we would add on a trip to Cambodia and spend six months there volunteering.’

Such is their commitment and kindness that both received Order of the Medal of Australia in 2019 for services to diving and Cambodia.

Unfortunately, in 2020 Daryl’s health meant their packed bags would go nowhere. He experienced two strokes, brain seizures, time in a coma and a lengthy stint in ICU. His recovery was slow and emotionally challenging. He was often cold and listless and disheartened by his inability to do things such as connect brush to canvas even with ideas at the ready. Thankfully, he was living closer to town (at the request of his children) when hit by another episode of brain seizures. Two months later, after the family demanded he come home from hospital, he was assessed and awarded a Home Care plan.

Daryl is a big fan of his Exercise Physiologist Harry Beresford and very grateful for all the treatment and support he receives through the plan.

‘The team has been fantastic. I see them twice a week and do my exercises for strength and standing. The change is unbelievable. I can shut my eyes and stand and not fall.’ Which Daryl does while explaining his progress, grinning from ear to ear as he stands and sits repeatedly.

‘I can’t believe how well I’ve got in such a short time. I can go back to painting. I can put clothes on. It’s just so good that I can do so many things. Exercises have helped with coordination and my brain is getting better too.’

Both Chelsea and Sue credit Helping Hand’s Allied Health team for the huge turn around in Daryl’s quality of life. Sue will admit that she was a bit reluctant to hand over control at first but that the change is immeasurable.

‘Daryl’s now going back uphill as opposed to backwards. And the help I get is massive as I’m now having to do the stuff that Daryl used to, like cooking.’

Sue and Daryl get house cleaning and gardening help. Every six weeks Sue sees a podiatrist and she also has her own physio sessions which is excellent for preventative health. No services are outsourced and there are more they can access as required which makes Chelsea, a Helping Hand staffer herself, feel exceptionally proud.

Sue says Home Care is ‘just as the word says. It cares for you and allows you to stay home and live your best life.’

Then Daryl chimes in, wrapping his arms around both Chelsea and Sue, exclaiming with tears in his eyes how he couldn’t live without them helping him too.

And Daryl’s right, family support means a lot. The interview may have taken place over Facetime, but the love and care in this family is still palpable. In fact, by the time you read this, the extended family will have escorted Sue and Daryl back to Cambodia for a visit, as their own team.

Story by Kate Holland