JULIE Richards was on a bike when a truck struck her at 100 km/h. When she woke up in hospital, her first thought was her mother, who had died after being hit by a car when Ms Richards was nine.
“When I woke up and they said, ‘Is there anyone we can call,’ my first thought was, ‘I can’t believe my dad’s going to have two of these phone calls in his life’.”
The South Kingsville resident, who on Thursday was named by Hobsons Bay Council as one of the municipality’s most inspiring women, has changed jobs 11 times since the accident five years ago.
Despite challenges associated with her injuries, she looks after her father who had a stroke, and volunteers with the homeless, unemployed, ex-offenders, youth at risk and African and other migrants through the New Hope Foundation.
Her award came on the day legislation to establish the National Disability Insurance Scheme was passed unanimously by Victoria’s lower house of Parliament.
Williamstown resident Milly Parker, who was also honoured with an award, said it had been a momentous day.
“Watching the footage [Disability Reform Minister] Jenny Macklin was overwhelmed and teary,” Ms Parker said.
“I was there when the bill was put to Parliament in November, when [Prime Minister] Julia Gillard put it to parliament and was reading it out. Even from thinking now, I’m getting teary.”
Twenty years ago, Ms Parker was in a car with four friends when it hit a tree at about 140km/h.
Since her acquired brain injury, she has become Yooralla’s disability ambassador and been included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women for five consecutive years.
More inspirational women reports in the Weekly in coming weeks
Hobsons Bay 2013 Inspirational Women Awards winners:
■ Lorraine Bedella
■ Nyssa Bradsworth
■ Rhonda Collins
■ Lor Davis
■ Julie Enright
■ Edith Grinham
■ Jill Hennessy
■ Jenny Hickinbotham
■ Barb Johnson
■ Ann Marie Kelly
■ Margaret Kidd
■ Wendy Kostraby
■ May Kotsakis
■ Nikki Kotzagiannidis
■ Kate Leslie
■ Jennifer Lund
■ Samantha Martin
■ Rebecca Nikau-Biddle
■ Tracy O’Hare
■ Cathy Paleologoudias
■ Milly Parker
■ Angelique Petrac
■ Kim Reilly
■ Julie Richards
■ Elisabeth Ridder
■ Wilma Robarts
■ Elizabeth Ryan
■ Fatoum Souki
■ Jacqueline Travaglia
■ Grace Vanilau
■ Fiona Ward
■ Clara Westhorpe
■ Jennifer Williams
■ Carol Willis
■ Nancy Winder
