lifelineqld.org.au
It started when Matt was just 12 years old. A feeling that he was worthless, of not having purpose, of being “just a burden, not only on my family, but to society as whole.”
Before you continue reading, please remember that Lifeline is always here to offer you compassion and a listening ear if you need it.
Suffering from anxiety and depression, Matt attempted suicide at the age of 16. He woke up paralysed, facing a future that seemed impossibly dark.
While Matt had survived, nothing would be the same again. His spinal cord was severed and he faced months of gruelling rehabilitation. He was told he may never walk again. Matt felt worse than ever.
Then one day, months into his rehabilitation, Matt’s mindset shifted, ever so slightly. A stranger saw him in his wheelchair and asked him what had happened. For the first time Matt started to open up, “I told the stranger the truth and I felt less ashamed. By talking to that one person, I saw it was possible to open up to other people in my life.”
Matt remembers, “Back then, mental health wasn’t talked about. If you were upset, you kept it to yourself…. I was scared of looking weak. Growing up, I always heard things like, ‘Have a cup of concrete and harden up.’ ”
But showing vulnerability isn’t weakness – it’s courage.
And it’s your support that helps fund the trained volunteers who answer the calls, texts and online cries for help for thousands of Australians struggling just like Matt was.
It’s your support that enables someone to talk to that “one person” who listens without judgement, offers a safe space, and works to explore options on how to best support someone in crisis.
Today, Matt is a mental health facilitator on a mission to reach one million people. He’s learning to walk again, building a future filled with purpose and hope.
The boy who once saw no way forward now dedicates his life to helping others find theirs.
Today, Matt carries an unshakeable belief: “Whether or not I walk again, I know with absolute conviction that I’ll keep moving forward.” Matt adds, “I want people to know they have the strength inside them to overcome whatever life throws their way.”
This transformation began with a conversation with a stranger. A moment of connection. The kind that happens thousands of times each day through Lifeline’s crisis support services – services that exist because of you.
