'One day at a time': community rallies around devoted dad burned in kitchen fire
The 32-year-old spent his birthday having surgery at Sydney Royal North Shore Hospital's intensive care unit, after he suffered serious burns in an accidental kitchen fire at Waratah just before 5pm on July 7.
The "gentle, kind, thoughtful, strong" and devoted dad faces several surgeries and a long journey to recovery ahead.
His father, Hugh, told the Newcastle Herald his son suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body, but he's grateful to still have him here.
"To be honest, I'm one of those people who take one day at a time," he said.
"If I think about last week, I'll have a cry; if I imagine what the future might look like, I'll have a cry.
"Not that those things aren't important, but the important thing is just to be here today for him, face whatever it is that's on today, and that's the best we can do. So much worse could have happened."
Mr Bright, his wife Claire and four-year-old daughter Bella live on Coolamin Road, just a few doors down from the police station and less than ten minutes from the local fire station.
Emergency services arrived at the scene as quickly as they could, rushing Mr Bright to John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries into a helicopter that was on standby.
Mr Bright was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for further specialist treatment, where his condition, while serious, has stabilised.
He had his first surgery last Wednesday and faced a second on Monday.
Mr Bright said he is incredibly grateful to the nurses, doctors and medical staff who have diligently cared for his son.
He described Mr Bright as outgoing, friendly, and passionate about Indigenous and workers' rights.
"He loves the Newcastle Knights, which is almost compulsory here," he said.
The whole family is quite musical, Mr Bright said, and his son loves his death metal, although he "did not get that from his parents", and has previously played bass for local bands.
He ran his personal best at Lake Macquarie Parkrun last month and had taken up rugby league with the Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs.
"Above all, he is just a passionate father, just a really great father," Mr Bright said.
The community has wrapped their arms around the family, offering words of much-needed support, love, song recommendations to play to Mr Bright in the hospital and encouragement in an extremely difficult time.
As of Monday, a GoFundMe to support Mr Bright's family and his ongoing medical costs had raised more than $18,000 in just 20 hours.
Mr Bright said he and the family have been blown away by the outpouring of support.
"You read these stories, thankfully not all the time, about these GoFundMes, and it hasn't really dawned on me yet that Matthew is that person now," he said.
"I'm not in denial about it or anything, but it's just blown me away the level of support we've had, and on that side we're soaking it up at the moment because it's getting us through it."
Every morning, in the Bright family group chat, they send the same words: "From darkness to light. The sun got up. Our precious boy is still with us. He is in the best place for his care. And he has us."
To make a donation click here or visit the GoFundMe website.
WHAT should have been an otherwise quiet night at home took a horror turn for loving husband and father Matthew Bright.
The 32-year-old spent his birthday having surgery at Sydney Royal North Shore Hospital's intensive care unit, after he suffered serious burns in an accidental kitchen fire at Waratah just before 5pm on July 7.
The "gentle, kind, thoughtful, strong" and devoted dad faces several surgeries and a long journey to recovery ahead.
His father, Hugh, told the Newcastle Herald his son suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body, but he's grateful to still have him here.
"To be honest, I'm one of those people who take one day at a time," he said.
"If I think about last week, I'll have a cry; if I imagine what the future might look like, I'll have a cry.
"Not that those things aren't important, but the important thing is just to be here today for him, face whatever it is that's on today, and that's the best we can do. So much worse could have happened."
Mr Bright, his wife Claire and four-year-old daughter Bella live on Coolamin Road, just a few doors down from the police station and less than ten minutes from the local fire station.
Emergency services arrived at the scene as quickly as they could, rushing Mr Bright to John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries into a helicopter that was on standby.
Mr Bright was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for further specialist treatment, where his condition, while serious, has stabilised.
He had his first surgery last Wednesday and faced a second on Monday.
Mr Bright said he is incredibly grateful to the nurses, doctors and medical staff who have diligently cared for his son.
He described Mr Bright as outgoing, friendly, and passionate about Indigenous and workers' rights.
"He loves the Newcastle Knights, which is almost compulsory here," he said.
The whole family is quite musical, Mr Bright said, and his son loves his death metal, although he "did not get that from his parents", and has previously played bass for local bands.
He ran his personal best at Lake Macquarie Parkrun last month and had taken up rugby league with the Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs.
"Above all, he is just a passionate father, just a really great father," Mr Bright said.
The community has wrapped their arms around the family, offering words of much-needed support, love, song recommendations to play to Mr Bright in the hospital and encouragement in an extremely difficult time.
As of Monday, a GoFundMe to support Mr Bright's family and his ongoing medical costs had raised more than $18,000 in just 20 hours.
Mr Bright said he and the family have been blown away by the outpouring of support.
"You read these stories, thankfully not all the time, about these GoFundMes, and it hasn't really dawned on me yet that Matthew is that person now," he said.
"I'm not in denial about it or anything, but it's just blown me away the level of support we've had, and on that side we're soaking it up at the moment because it's getting us through it."
Every morning, in the Bright family group chat, they send the same words: "From darkness to light. The sun got up. Our precious boy is still with us. He is in the best place for his care. And he has us."
To make a donation click here or visit the GoFundMe website.
WHAT should have been an otherwise quiet night at home took a horror turn for loving husband and father Matthew Bright.
The 32-year-old spent his birthday having surgery at Sydney Royal North Shore Hospital's intensive care unit, after he suffered serious burns in an accidental kitchen fire at Waratah just before 5pm on July 7.
The "gentle, kind, thoughtful, strong" and devoted dad faces several surgeries and a long journey to recovery ahead.
His father, Hugh, told the Newcastle Herald his son suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body, but he's grateful to still have him here.
"To be honest, I'm one of those people who take one day at a time," he said.
"If I think about last week, I'll have a cry; if I imagine what the future might look like, I'll have a cry.
"Not that those things aren't important, but the important thing is just to be here today for him, face whatever it is that's on today, and that's the best we can do. So much worse could have happened."
Mr Bright, his wife Claire and four-year-old daughter Bella live on Coolamin Road, just a few doors down from the police station and less than ten minutes from the local fire station.
Emergency services arrived at the scene as quickly as they could, rushing Mr Bright to John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries into a helicopter that was on standby.
Mr Bright was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for further specialist treatment, where his condition, while serious, has stabilised.
He had his first surgery last Wednesday and faced a second on Monday.
Mr Bright said he is incredibly grateful to the nurses, doctors and medical staff who have diligently cared for his son.
He described Mr Bright as outgoing, friendly, and passionate about Indigenous and workers' rights.
"He loves the Newcastle Knights, which is almost compulsory here," he said.
The whole family is quite musical, Mr Bright said, and his son loves his death metal, although he "did not get that from his parents", and has previously played bass for local bands.
He ran his personal best at Lake Macquarie Parkrun last month and had taken up rugby league with the Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs.
"Above all, he is just a passionate father, just a really great father," Mr Bright said.
The community has wrapped their arms around the family, offering words of much-needed support, love, song recommendations to play to Mr Bright in the hospital and encouragement in an extremely difficult time.
As of Monday, a GoFundMe to support Mr Bright's family and his ongoing medical costs had raised more than $18,000 in just 20 hours.
Mr Bright said he and the family have been blown away by the outpouring of support.
"You read these stories, thankfully not all the time, about these GoFundMes, and it hasn't really dawned on me yet that Matthew is that person now," he said.
"I'm not in denial about it or anything, but it's just blown me away the level of support we've had, and on that side we're soaking it up at the moment because it's getting us through it."
Every morning, in the Bright family group chat, they send the same words: "From darkness to light. The sun got up. Our precious boy is still with us. He is in the best place for his care. And he has us."
To make a donation click here or visit the GoFundMe website.
WHAT should have been an otherwise quiet night at home took a horror turn for loving husband and father Matthew Bright.
The 32-year-old spent his birthday having surgery at Sydney Royal North Shore Hospital's intensive care unit, after he suffered serious burns in an accidental kitchen fire at Waratah just before 5pm on July 7.
The "gentle, kind, thoughtful, strong" and devoted dad faces several surgeries and a long journey to recovery ahead.
His father, Hugh, told the Newcastle Herald his son suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body, but he's grateful to still have him here.
"To be honest, I'm one of those people who take one day at a time," he said.
"If I think about last week, I'll have a cry; if I imagine what the future might look like, I'll have a cry.
"Not that those things aren't important, but the important thing is just to be here today for him, face whatever it is that's on today, and that's the best we can do. So much worse could have happened."
Mr Bright, his wife Claire and four-year-old daughter Bella live on Coolamin Road, just a few doors down from the police station and less than ten minutes from the local fire station.
Emergency services arrived at the scene as quickly as they could, rushing Mr Bright to John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries into a helicopter that was on standby.
Mr Bright was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for further specialist treatment, where his condition, while serious, has stabilised.
He had his first surgery last Wednesday and faced a second on Monday.
Mr Bright said he is incredibly grateful to the nurses, doctors and medical staff who have diligently cared for his son.
He described Mr Bright as outgoing, friendly, and passionate about Indigenous and workers' rights.
"He loves the Newcastle Knights, which is almost compulsory here," he said.
The whole family is quite musical, Mr Bright said, and his son loves his death metal, although he "did not get that from his parents", and has previously played bass for local bands.
He ran his personal best at Lake Macquarie Parkrun last month and had taken up rugby league with the Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs.
"Above all, he is just a passionate father, just a really great father," Mr Bright said.
The community has wrapped their arms around the family, offering words of much-needed support, love, song recommendations to play to Mr Bright in the hospital and encouragement in an extremely difficult time.
As of Monday, a GoFundMe to support Mr Bright's family and his ongoing medical costs had raised more than $18,000 in just 20 hours.
Mr Bright said he and the family have been blown away by the outpouring of support.
"You read these stories, thankfully not all the time, about these GoFundMes, and it hasn't really dawned on me yet that Matthew is that person now," he said.
"I'm not in denial about it or anything, but it's just blown me away the level of support we've had, and on that side we're soaking it up at the moment because it's getting us through it."
Every morning, in the Bright family group chat, they send the same words: "From darkness to light. The sun got up. Our precious boy is still with us. He is in the best place for his care. And he has us."
To make a donation click here or visit the GoFundMe website.
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ED presentations and admissions for bronchiolitis in young children were high, particularly in those aged less than one, but they were decreasing. While another month of winter lies ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer than average days and nights in south-eastern Australia from August to October. The bureau said there was an "increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures". Surgeons at John Hunter Hospital have been told to admit patients only with "threat of limb or life loss" amid an extreme bed shortage. Hospital management sent surgeons a message on Monday afternoon that said "John Hunter Hospital is going into the evening with minus 37 beds". The message, titled "extreme bed compromise", said "we are on life and limb". "This means any acceptance of patients into John Hunter Hospital must be via surgeons (not registrars) and must be for patients who have threat of limb loss or life loss," it said. 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They get scared that someone will die." The staffer said the hospital executive "refused to call a code yellow" on Sunday. "This would mean they recognise we have an internal emergency." In this scenario, moves could be made to ease pressure on the hospital. A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said on Monday: "John Hunter Hospital is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients, including a significant number of seriously unwell patients". "In response to demand and to alleviate pressure in the ED, we are activating surge areas to temporarily increase our capacity as required. "During periods of high activity, we monitor inter-hospital transfer requests and prioritise the most unwell patients." Mr McIlveen said the patients brought to the hospital by ambulance on Sunday were "genuine cases". "It's not as though they could see a GP or be referred to an urgent care centre," he said. "It's flu season, so there were a number of unwell people on Sunday." He added that "trauma happens during weekend sports". "John Hunter does take all the trauma. It flows well, considering the number of ambulances and patients presenting in the waiting room as well," Mr McIlveen said. "It does show how well the nurses and doctors do to see as many patients as they do. They were doing everything they possibly could." But as the workload increases, so do delays at the hospital. "This does put a burden on the response available for the community," Mr McIlveen said. "The warmer weather will probably start again soon so that will hopefully settle all the respiratory cases down a bit." The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report showed "influenza activity is still at a high level", but cases among children had fallen during the school holidays. "COVID is at a moderate level of activity and decreasing. RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] activity is decreasing and at a moderate level," the report said. 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"Please continue to ... identify all patients who can be discharged home or to HITH [Hospital in the Home]." This followed patients waiting up to four hours when arriving by ambulance to John Hunter at the weekend. The waits coincided with high presentations and admissions to hospitals across the state for influenza-like illness. "It's been pretty bad in the last 28 to 48 hours," said Brendan McIlveen, a Newcastle-based paramedic. Mr McIlveen, the Australian Paramedics Association NSW secretary, said "this is probably the worst it's been in a long while". More than 10 ambulances were seen lined up at the John Hunter on Sunday. One hospital staffer told the Newcastle Herald there were "40 patients in overflow". "The cardiac catheterisation laboratory and endoscopy recovery have been used for overflow patients. "Patients are waiting excessively because we don't have anywhere to see them. We have no movement of patients. "Staff feel overwhelmed and fearful that something will go wrong. They get scared that someone will die." The staffer said the hospital executive "refused to call a code yellow" on Sunday. "This would mean they recognise we have an internal emergency." In this scenario, moves could be made to ease pressure on the hospital. A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said on Monday: "John Hunter Hospital is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients, including a significant number of seriously unwell patients". "In response to demand and to alleviate pressure in the ED, we are activating surge areas to temporarily increase our capacity as required. "During periods of high activity, we monitor inter-hospital transfer requests and prioritise the most unwell patients." Mr McIlveen said the patients brought to the hospital by ambulance on Sunday were "genuine cases". "It's not as though they could see a GP or be referred to an urgent care centre," he said. "It's flu season, so there were a number of unwell people on Sunday." He added that "trauma happens during weekend sports". "John Hunter does take all the trauma. It flows well, considering the number of ambulances and patients presenting in the waiting room as well," Mr McIlveen said. "It does show how well the nurses and doctors do to see as many patients as they do. They were doing everything they possibly could." But as the workload increases, so do delays at the hospital. "This does put a burden on the response available for the community," Mr McIlveen said. "The warmer weather will probably start again soon so that will hopefully settle all the respiratory cases down a bit." The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report showed "influenza activity is still at a high level", but cases among children had fallen during the school holidays. "COVID is at a moderate level of activity and decreasing. RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] activity is decreasing and at a moderate level," the report said. ED presentations and admissions for bronchiolitis in young children were high, particularly in those aged less than one, but they were decreasing. While another month of winter lies ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer than average days and nights in south-eastern Australia from August to October. The bureau said there was an "increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures".
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An Indigenous woman's baby was taken from her. It was a ‘pivotal moment' before she died in prison
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following article contains images and names of deceased people. An Indigenous woman's newborn had been taken from her, she had been denied parole and then a doctor prescribed her a high dose of synthetic opiates leading to her death. Heather Calgaret's death in custody was preventable and her health in prison had deteriorated from the moment her baby was removed from her at birth, a coroner found on Monday. 'Not only was her passing preventable, she should never have passed in the manner that she did,' Victorian Coroner Sarah Gebert said as she delivered a 300-page finding following an inquest. The 30-year-old Yamatji, Noongar, Wongi and Pitjantjatjara woman had been six months pregnant when she arrived at Dame Phyllis Frost women's prison, in Melbourne's outer west, in July 2019. The removal of her daughter – which Calgaret had described as 'hell' – was a pivotal moment in her overall health decline while in custody, Gebert found. She experienced depression, grief, shame and trauma from the child's removal and separation from her three other children, became obese and was diagnosed with diabetes over her next two years in prison. Calgaret pleaded to be released on parole about six months before her death, writing a letter expressing frustration as one of her parole conditions was to complete a program that was not available. 'I have been told I need to complete the See Change program to complete parole. Dame Phyllis Frost is not running it,' she wrote, as she asked to be permitted to complete the program outside prison.
