Hosing for help

By Lachlan Ellis

A terrible accident has brought to light the incredible generosity of the transport industry, with over $200,000 donated to support a woman who lost both legs.

25-year-old Michelle Pillar is a new face to the trucking scene, and lost a leg after her truck rolled and became wedged between a tree and a bridge on Carlisle Road near Black Ridge, in the Otway Ranges in early January this year.

Her other leg had to be amputated in hospital due to an infection, and doctors have also discovered a spinal cord infection.

She spent a week on life support in an induced coma, and spent weeks having almost daily surgeries.

While Michelle has a long road to recovery ahead, the trucking community has shown that she is not alone in her battle.

Locally, Hodge Livestock Transport from Blakeville is just one of the many businesses chipping into the worthy cause.

Fluff Tonkin works at the business with owner Rob Hodge, and said the decision to contribute was an easy one.

“There’s a lot that have contributed to the account to help her, I’m not sure anyone rates a special mention. The staff here have inadvertently crossed Michelle loading or unloading, or working somewhere, but none of us have, I would say, a direct relationship with Michelle,” Ms Tonkin said.

“It was more the fact of what happened to her could happen to any of us. It was so heartbreaking, the extent of the accident for a young person in the industry…we all felt something had to be done.”

Hodge Livestock Transport held a week-long ‘Hosing for Hope’ initiative, where staff donated their wages from washouts, and their donations were matched by the business.

“That was over $2,000…as a company we matched it. As people had seen what we were doing on Facebook, a few others made cash donations to go to Michelle as well. We put through $4,577,” Ms Tonkin said.

The Mortlake Roadhouse is one of the many businesses supporting Michelle, including opening a bank account for her recovery fund, which at the time of writing has collected an astounding $216,314.

Mortlake Roadhouse owner Dion Symons said he was happy to play a part in Michelle’s recovery.

“Her brother Lachie comes in here quite a bit, but two other stock truck drivers, wanted to do something for her, and came in and asked if I’d help them out one day,” he told the Moorabool News.

Donations have come in not just from the local community, but from across the country and across the world.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-03-22/11

in the 22 March 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.