When the Northern Rivers region of NSW was hit with devastating floods, HammondCare care worker Gabriel found himself clinging to the gutter of his new home. Despite the danger he was in, his first thoughts were for others, worrying about his clients and their safety. When an SES boat arrived four hours later, Gabriel requested they take their neighbours first, who had small children.
Fortunately, HammondCare At Home client Les and his wife Ellen had been evacuated safely. But the flood waters ultimately rose to ceiling fan level, and sadly their home of nearly five decades was lost.
Gabriel: I love my job and that day my thoughts were with the elderly clients in our tight knit community here in the Northern Rivers region, and how they must be faring.
Les is one of my regular clients. He’s a great communicator. We always have a banter about the footy – he loves the Rabbitohs.
Les: We had to start all over again, buying everything from scratch. But we’re grateful for a roof over our heads. Accommodation is now difficult to find here, as everyone is in the same boat, needing to find somewhere to live.
Gabriel helps with showering and takes me out to look for whales or ships. He and the other team members make my life easier.
Area Manager Kelly: The worry and concern we felt for uncontactable staff and clients as the event unfolded was frightening, but our wider team sprang into gear to ensure everyone was accounted for and safe.
