Broken Dreams

When eighteen-year-old Bill Dodd dived into the Maranoa River his life changed in an instant. This young larrikin had enjoyed many adventures as a stockman on a remote cattle station; now he was a quadriplegic. His boxing, running and football days were over, and he would never ride his beloved horses again. Bill's story begins with a high-spirited childhood in small town Queensland, a time of youthful humor and energy. The sudden death of his stockman father affects Bill deeply and he rebels, before himself choosing the exciting life of an apprentice stockman. Waking up in the intensive care spinal unit, he faces the consequences of his accident and slowly builds a new life. Winner of the 1991 David Unaipon award for first time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, Bill's story was written with the aid of a specially designed finger splint, and a typewriter donated by the people of Mitchell, his hometown.