Trigger warning, this podcast contains discussions relating to violent one punch assaults, PTSD, trauma, mental health, suicide and other potentially distressing experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call Lifeline on 131114.

This is a deeply personal episode about my dad, Kosta, and a story I’ve wanted to share with the care it deserves.

In 2019, one senseless act of violence changed the course of Dad’s life and our family forever. But this isn’t just a story about what happened to him. It’s about who he was before that day, who he still is today, and the love, grief, hope and resilience that have shaped the years since.

Most of all, it’s about remembering the person behind the diagnosis, and holding onto the parts of someone that trauma and dementia can never take away.

In this episode I share:

- The story of my dad, Kosta, and the man he was before dementia, brain injury and disability changed his life.

- How a coward punch in 2019 changed the course of my dad’s life and our entire family.

- The ripple effect of violence and why its consequences can continue for families long after an incident is over.

- What it means to grieve someone who is still physically present, and the complicated emotions that come with ambiguous loss.

- Why I believe a diagnosis should never become the whole story of who someone is.

- How I’ve learned that hope doesn’t always mean a complete recovery, but can be found in small moments of connection, laughter and recognition.

- What caring and advocating for someone who can no longer advocate for themselves really looks like.

- Why resilience doesn’t always mean overcoming trauma, but learning how to carry it without letting it take everything else.

- Why we shouldn’t postpone love, and the importance of saying and showing what someone means to us while we still can.

Key Quotes

“Sometimes hope is one tiny moment that reminds you the person you love is still here.”

“Violence does not end when the headlines stop. For families like ours, that can be where the real journey begins.”

“Rising is not always leaving the pain behind. Sometimes rising is refusing to let pain take everything beautiful with it.”

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