A Story of Courage in the Face of Tragedy
Dear Friends,
We often encounter people and families whose heartbreaking stories reaffirm why we do what we do. Today, we want to share a story of a family whose story has done just that. Meet Norbert, a resilient 12-year-old whose life was forever altered by a heartbreaking tragedy:
Norbert lives in a rural area with his family who are living in poverty. On his way back from school in late January, he was hit by a truck. He was rushed to a local hospital where the doctors had to make the really difficult decision to amputate his left leg.
Nobert’s leg was amputated from the knee, and he received a skin graft from his right leg to his left leg. Norbert had to stay in the ICU for two weeks where he received intensive medical treatment.
“We spent a night without sleeping. We were asking ourselves how to pay hospital bill, how to get crutches, transport from hospital to home…. it was beyond our thoughts and capacity.”
– Zawadi, Norbert’s mother
Overall, Norbert remained in hospital for 10 weeks. This was an incredibly challenging time for him and his family, not only due to the shock of the accident and amputation but the overwhelming cost and medical needs Norbert had. During this time, he and his family were supported in different ways such as paying hospital bills, paying for crutches, providing transport for his father to visit him and nutritious meals to help in his recovery process.
“If it wasn’t for God using you, we would still be at the hospital. We had no way to pay. My son was sick, but he was eating meat, eggs and fruits – food we’ve never had at home.”
– Zawadi, Norbert’s mother
Today, Norbert attends appointments at a local health centre where nurses dress his wounds and monitor his physical progress. When his wounds are fully recovered, he will receive a prosthesis.
In addition to his physical recovery, Norbert is receiving mental health support to help him process the trauma of the accident and help him return to school. Norbert’s journey to recovery will be a long one, but we count it a great privilege to have been able to step in and provide emergency relief to this young boy and his family in a time of terrible crisis.
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Your ongoing support has allowed us to connect with families like Norbert’s, and together, we continue to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve.
As we reflect on the impact of support in Norbert’s life, we invite you to join us in celebrating all that we’ve accomplished together at our End of Year Celebration happening at the Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre on the afternoon of 22 November 2025. We look forward to sharing more stories, more milestones, and more moments of hope with you. For more information or to RSVP, contact Carmen by emailing carmen.oconnor@cbl.org.au.
We’re deeply grateful for your partnership. Let’s celebrate the difference we’ve made—together!
Until next time,
The CBL team
