By NICOLE VALICEK
A TRUCK accident 17 years ago changed Belinda Hoy’s life forever but now the 25-year-old is ready to get back to life and back to work.
Then Altona resident, then eight years old, was playing with friends on Wildflower Crescent, Hoppers Crossing in 1996 when she was involved in a truck accident.
The accident left Belinda with a fractured skull, pelvis and series internal injuries.
She was in a coma for one month and spent many more months in hospital recovering.
Belinda is now legally blind and has light perspective out of her right eye only, she has an acquired brain injury which impacts her movements, but she can walk and talk.
Belinda can’t vacuum or mop but she does live independently, and she is looking for a volunteer job.
Her father Jeff has put the call out to local businesses and companies that his daughter wants to work in a volunteer role in an understanding environment.
“I’ve always said now her biggest disability is her capability in dealing with her disability,” Jeff said.
“I don’t want her pigeon-hole her with other people with special needs because that prevents her from assimilating with mainstream people.”
“People don’t know that she’s restricted and there are disabilities.”
Belinda, who volunteers at St James Primary School for a few hours a week, said finding a volunteer job would change her life.
“It would mean everything. It would give me a chance to want to get out of the house,” she said.
“I don’t know how to put it into words, happy and excited to get out of bed and outside doing stuff.”
Belinda said she would enjoy a role that involves packaging or in an office environment but can pick up most things with repetition.
She tried to go back to mainstream school after her accident, but was excluded and started to suffer low self-esteem. She was then placed in a special disability school which she attended for six years.
“I want to put her into some volunteer work where the employer and employees embrace her and know her history,” Jeff said.
“She’s had the accident we now have a different type of Belinda that’s survived, I’m just trying to get a little bit of heaven back for her I’m sure there will be people out there who can help.”
