Different people have their own unique way of coping with difficult times, and for James McQuillan, his method is by focusing and talking about something else. When he was 20 years old, James suffered a spinal cord injury while playing football, and has been diagnosed as a quadriplegic since.
James studies accounting in university and works part-time at the injury management department of Joss Group, fitting well in both roles.
Finding What Works for You
He also demonstrates a strong and independent attitude. He is described as “selfless” and “compassionate” among his friends, who also note his positivity. Mick, a friend of James’s, shares that everyone who first meets James “would say the same thing, they’d say what a lovely young kid. And they still say it.” Besides that, James has learned to drive his modified car after 15 lessons as well, and can now drive himself to work or to the supermarket to help out with grocery shopping, “the final step towards independence”, as his girlfriend Kathryn puts it.
James does not let his disability define him, allowing the second anniversary of his accident to pass by quietly, and he finds himself in a good place with a daily routine life of work and play. While he admits that his method of coping is “probably not in the handbook of what you’re meant to do”, he knows that “it works for [him]”, and that’s what really matters.