The heartbreaking life story of a disabled man who was rejected by the NDIS has been revealed for the first time, to the shock and anger of millions of Australians.
John G, 36, told Daily Mail Australia how he was a civil engineer who toiled on Sydney’s biggest rail project before becoming a “quivering wreck”.
John, who can only walk with crutches due to a major neurological disorder and has been waiting for NDIS assistance for the past four years, apologised for the mess inside his home in Ryde, in Sydney’s northwest.
John said he can barely walk, let alone clean, and the pile of takeout boxes in his living room is due to his inability to drive or shop for food.
“It’s embarrassing… I used to be a neat freak,” John said.
‘I loved working hard and taking pride in my appearance. I had a partner who I hoped to marry and have children with.
“I can’t go out or socialise now because I look so bad and because I’m a danger with these involuntary movements. I’ve lost everything, but I’d still like to get a job if I can.”
John, whose plight became public after gardener Nathan Stafford cut his overgrown grass without charging him anything, is the eldest of three children born to Italian-Greek parents.
NDIS applicant John told how he had been a proud and hard-working civil engineer on Sydney’s biggest project before becoming a self-confessed “quivering mess”.
John (black and white T-shirt), pictured as a young man at his grandmother’s birthday party, had a fiancée, a great job and was physically fit before the neurological disorder took hold.
John G with Samaritan worker Nathan Stafford, who cleaned up Ryde’s yard and championed the 36-year-old, who suffers from a neurological disorder,’s application to be accepted into the NDIS.
He lost his mother when he was “quite young” and then last year his father George, a well-known rugby league physiotherapist and “a bit of a rebel”, died aged 70.
As a youngster, John practiced Taekwondo and played hooker and centre in rugby league at Ryde Secondary College.
“I loved the game,” he said.
‘I miss physical contact.’
After school, John studied psychology and civil engineering at TAFE, and “got enough tickets” to be hired for the then-fledgling Sydney Metro, Australia’s largest public transport project.
John said he “practically” worked on building the massive tunnel.
‘I was a real craftsman, operating gantry cranes, as a foreman, in rigging, on elevated platform work.
“I was a key player in that project. I had 30 men under me and worked 14 to 15 hours a day,” he said, a sense of accomplishment in his voice.
“I loved my job. I miss it very much.”
Then, five years ago, John became ill, first with non-epileptic seizures and then with “a lot of falls” and a feeling of paralysis.
“I had the world at my feet, I was doing very, very well, and then (the disease) came like an attack, yes, like a freight train,” he said.
‘I was an older brother to my 21-year-old brother and 17-year-old sister, but now I’m sick and they have their own lives to live.
“It’s gotten worse since Dad passed away.”
John said his house was a mess of dirty dishes and takeaway boxes because he was physically unable to clean and the former “neat freak” said he was embarrassed by the condition of his home.
Despite a promise from NDIS Minister Bill Shorten on Wednesday in response to queries on John’s behalf, he said he is still waiting for help to clean up his home.
John said he can no longer take public transport or go to the shops because of his involuntary movements and the risk of falling.
“I used to have enough energy to eat this house for breakfast, now I can’t even get up to open the door,” he said.
“I’ve started to isolate myself a lot because I look like this. I used to dress quite well. I liked to dress up and socialize, but I understand that sometimes it’s not nice for people to see me.”
John produced his doctor’s letter, written for the NDIS, stating that he suffers from a major neurological disorder and a depressive state.
The letter states that John “has a severe movement disorder that restricts his mobility” and that his father’s death left him “even more vulnerable.”
The doctor also said John’s condition “should be considered permanent and he should receive the maximum treatment.”
John said he is on “a ton of medications,” with at least five different prescriptions listed, along with “transcranial magnetic stimulation,” which he says does not help his condition.
John (left) making his way, working on the Sydney Metro project before his health tragically deteriorated (right) due to a neurological disorder.
To qualify for the NDIS, a person must have “a disability caused by a permanent impairment”.
Neither Major Neurological Disorder nor John’s other possible diagnosis, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), appear among the dizzyingly long list of medical conditions on the NDIS classification inventory.
“This has just gotten worse, it’s really gotten worse, it’s unstable, if you know what I mean, and I’m having a really hard time doing things for myself,” John said.
“I can’t go on living like this. The house has never been in a worse condition. The floor needs to be cleaned, it’s becoming a fire hazard.”
His doctor’s letter states that John “has been unable to work since 2019” due to the conditions he was diagnosed with, but that doesn’t stop him from hoping to find employment.
He does Sudoku and other puzzles daily “to keep my brain alive,” as well as 5,000-piece puzzles that he hopes to sell.
John had his own personal view of disability before he became ill, working for Vinnies Vans and Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, and says he wouldn’t even be able to do that voluntary work now.
‘It makes me very sad because I am a person at high risk of falls.
“I could make a sudden move and hurt someone. If I’m holding a cup of coffee, the guy next to me could knock it over.”
Minister Bill Shorten responded to Daily Mail Australia’s questions about John’s care on Wednesday, but John said he had received prior assurances and had “been waiting long enough”.
John, who does not like taking pills, said he was forced to take “a dose” of medication just to try to keep his condition under control, but there was no way to reverse it.
Gardener Nathan Stafford mows John’s lawn in one of many videos the online personality has posted about the disabled Ryde resident’s plight as he awaits NDIS approval.
After Daily Mail Australia requested answers from the NDIS as to why John’s application was rejected, Minister Bill Shorten’s office responded.
“Our office is working quickly with the NDIS to ensure John has the appropriate care support,” Shorten’s spokesman said.
“I have been speaking to John and he is grateful for this support and welcomes any help with open arms.”
John politely replied that he had already been assured that he would receive help in recent years.
“I’ve been waiting a long time. I hope it really happens.”
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