Open Minds’ Townsville team recently supported complex needs client of five years, Rhys, to fulfil a lifelong goal of going skydiving to celebrate his 30th birthday.
Rhys had no fear about the skydive and described the thrill of jumping out of the plane as very exciting.
“I was keen to jump and loved the freefall part of the dive. I could feel both my arms and legs in the air. Pulling the parachute was also very fun,” said Rhys.
Rhys’ mum made a special visit from Cairns to congratulate Rhys and they shared lunch together following the experience.
“Mum was nervous but happy for me,” Rhys said.
As a client with complex behaviours, the process of making Rhys’ skydiving dream a reality was met by several challenges, giving Rhys and his support team even more reason to celebrate his achievement.
Open Minds Senior Care Leader, Brendan Beathe said Rhys is a determined guy, and he and the team were pleased to support him with this goal.
“We sought medical clearance for the tandem skydive and for the brief time from boarding the plane to landing that he would be without a support worker,” said Brendan.
“Rhys handled the experience of jumping out of a plane well. His support workers Steve and Dave played an active role of supporting Rhys leading up to and on the day of the skydive,” he said.
Following completion of his skydiving goal, Rhys is confident about many other goals on his horizon including a visit to Dreamworld, getting his driver’s license, and visiting his dad who lives in Lismore.
Rhys currently works as a grounds person and in his free time enjoys fishing and playing football.
Setting and achieving goals is important for improved mental health and recovery. Open Minds’ services are designed to boost independence, build capacity and help clients work towards their goals. To find out more, please visit our website.