First job after 25 years
Quadriplegic Brett Morris always struggled to find work, until now
‘‘ I ENJOY HELPING PEOPLE TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. IT’S NEVER DULL, YOU MEET ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD. BRETT MORRIS
Photo: Nigel Hallett
QUADRIPLEGIC Brett Morris has just landed his first job in 25 years after the Gold Coast Airport gave him a long-awaited lift in life and took him onboard.
The 46-year-old has been in a wheelchair and unable to find work since a rugby league accident in Dalby when he was 21 left him with a bruised spinal cord and damaged vertebrae.
“I was playing a game of rep footy and just doing a normal tackle when one of the other players came over the top of me and landed on my head. It was then I heard my back crack,” Mr Morris said.
“At first, I was a quadriplegic from the neck down, but about three to four months after the accident I began to get some feeling back in my body and get some movement back in my arms.
“I was very lucky.”
Two years ago, Mr Morris took a trip to New Zealand. He loved it so much he decided to get into the travel industry.
He studied for six months to become a volunteer ambassador at Gold Coast Airport and proved so good he was recently offered a permanent job.
Stationed at the airport’s information desk in the terminal’s busy check-in hall – specially designed to accommodate his wheelchair – Mr Morris helps passengers navigate their way through the terminal.
“I can help passengers with anything from luggage to tickets, anything I can do to point them in the right direction,” he said.
“I enjoy helping people to get where they need to go. It’s never dull, you meet all sorts of people from around the world. I love it. This new role gives me a sense of pride and the opportunity to travel again.”
His boss, Airport Retail Enterprises manager Nathan O’Brien, said it was fitting that Mr Morris had started work ahead of International Day Of Persons with Disabilities which was held on Monday.