Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to share a message from Tristan Sik, a 17-year-old from Rainbow Beach in Wide Bay. His message is: 'Make your dayz count.' That's something Tristan lives up to every day. The mask I'm wearing in parliament today is part of his clothing line, Sik Ladz, which he launched in April, nearly four years after an accident that nearly killed him. Tristan was hit by a four-wheel drive while riding his pushbike. It left him in a coma with a serious brain injury, broken legs, a broken hip and collarbone, and six fractures in his skull. Doctors told his mum, Carolyn, that he was in a vegetative state and to turn off his life support. However, his mother's intuition told her to give him more time, and this mother's love and determination helped him regain his speech and cognitive function against all odds. Young Tristan has inherited that drive, returning to school at Victory College just one year after his accident. His injuries prevented him from fulfilling his dream of becoming a diesel mechanic, but, with remarkable resilience, he came up with the new dream of his Sik Ladz clothing line. Tristan, your community and your family can be proud of what you have achieved. You are an absolute inspiration.