Thank you for your support

I feel so honoured Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner and Senior Sergeant Heath Soutar were our guest speakers at our Official Introduction on Saturday along with our guest Terry Townsend. These 3 men have played different roles in my life and I am extremely grateful for them all.

Heath came into my life a couple of months after Jack was killed, when he was transferred to Collie. He came to my home, met with Scott, Tayla and myself and asked what his team could do better when a tragedy like this happens because we both knew it was going to happen again.

He supported us through our heartbreaking fight for justice, the court proceedings and when sentencing was complete. He was always a shoulder to lean on and did his absolute best to answer any questions we had. There were so many questions…….

Over the last 4 years, Heath has become a part of our home, our grief and is one of our biggest supporters and we’re so grateful to have him as a dear friend.

He saw little glimpses of light and hope within me that I couldn’t see, and it wasn’t until I listened to both him and Adrian speak on Saturday that I was able to see how far I have come since my whole world fell apart.

Heath, you believed in me and knew that Jack’s story, my voice and life experience could help so many people. You’ve been by my side at the absolute worst time of my life and I’m so grateful you get to be by my side for the wins. I just wish we didn’t have to meet the way we did, and you got to meet Jack.

Over the past 15 months I’ve been liaising and in close contact with Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner.

I met Adrian after writing to him, Premier Mark McGowan, Attorney General John Quigley, Minister for Police at the time Michelle Roberts and Victims of Crime Commissioner at the time Kati Krazlan.

I shared with them, Jack’s story, our journey of Road Trauma and our fight for justice.

Within days, a meeting with Adrian was scheduled and within two weeks Adrian and Kati, along with the support of Heath, were sitting in my home. Adrian saw first-hand the carnage of road trauma. He listened to our journey, the injustice of court, he empathized, and received my vision for a Road Trauma Centre as something that needed to happen.

I continued to share with Adrian, the progress I’d made towards getting my hub up and running. He’s been a sounding board and has given me so much insight and in June, after receiving my proposal Adrian and I met again. He said to me “You don’t need a building to start this Tarryn” and well here we are.

Through this part of my journey, Adrian and I have formed a great friendship. When he accepted our invitation to be a guest speaker at our launch it just cemented for me what a lovely, personable and genuine man he is. He really wants to make a difference. From the bottom of my heart Adrian, thank you so much for your support, your advice and for believing in me and Heart Hub South West. I look forward to seeing where we go from here.

Terry, there are not enough words that can convey what you mean to me. I am so grateful for you and I’m so glad we got to have a photo together on Saturday.

There is no healing, no getting over this or moving on, that is not possible and only those who are surviving a similar journey will understand but losing Jack can’t be for nothing.