Darren needs to find a new home | Gladstone News | Local News in Gladstone
Darren needs to find a new home
Darren Jeacocke is finding it difficult to find a home that can accommodate him and his disability.
DARREN Jeacocke is just like many other 24-year-olds. He has a Bachelor of Mulitimedia Studies and works as a web designer for Armaflame and Coconet.
His major hurdle now is finding a suitable house in which to live.
Not so hard you would expect except that Darren is confined to a wheelchair after breaking his neck in a bike accident three years ago.
Darren was studying for his degree when "I stacked the bike and broke my neck."
"I had almost completed a university degree when the accident happened but study was put on hold while I was recovering from my injuries," he said.
At the moment Darren, his mum and his brother all live at his mum's parents home in Broadacres Drive outside Tannum Sands.
His mum Leanne said her parents want to sell their home and move into town because the small acreage property is becoming too hard to manage as they get older.
Which in turn means the whole family has to move.
Darren and his brother Cory plan to share a house so Cory can help care for Darren.
The problem is finding a lowset home that is wheelchair friendly.
He said most lowset homes would be suitable and he was normally able to negotiate hallways and doorways without too much difficulty.
Darren said he was even willing to make minor changes to any place he moved into at his own cost.
They had even approached the Queensland Department of Housing two weeks ago but the department had intimated his income was too high and may rule him out.
The combined income of Cory and Darren was taken into account to rule them out.
"I'm not dirty on it but it does make it difficult for me," he said.
Darren doesn't feel sorry for himself and was anxious that his situation might appear like a sob story.
"There are a lot of people out there trying to get me a suitable home," he said.
They have also scoured available rental properties but as the whole family worked time was at a premium.
Darren said if all else failed they would be grateful for a suitable property at a reasonable rental.
The family are putting it out their in the hope that a door will open somewhere to alleviate the problem they currently face.
Anyone who may be able to help or offer a solution can phone Darren at his workplace on 1300 664 907
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