After a near-fatal accident in 2013 which left her paralysed from the chest down, Samantha Bloom shared her story of resilience, inspiring almost 3000 people at Ray White’s Connect 2022 conference.
Ms Bloom shared how family, love, and a unique connection with the natural world supported her journey back from deep physical suffering and depression to become a bestselling author, three times world para-surfing champion and inspiration behind the international hit movie Penguin Bloom.
The audience was in tears as Ms Bloom spoke about her incredible journey and the challenges she faced after falling from an observation deck in Thailand, resulting in the loss of use of three quarters of her body.
After having what Ms Bloom described as her “perfect life” ripped away from her in a matter of seconds, she told the audience how the love of her husband Cameron, and three sons, as well as a magpie named Penguin, helped her find hope in what was a very dark time.
Ms Bloom said she had “lost herself and lost her will to live” when she and her family found an injured baby magpie which had fallen from a tree.
Penguin the magpie soon became part of the family, bringing everyone together again.
A keen surfer her whole life, Ms Bloom soon found herself back in the water, first in a kayak and then on a surfboard - this time lying down instead of standing up.
“Some days are still incredibly hard for me, and even on the good days I hate what happened to me and the effect it had on my family. But I learned there is one thing more debilitating than a spinal injury, and that's self pity,” Ms Bloom said.
“My life has not been easy since I broke my back, but who am I to complain when I am still alive.
“No matter what you've been through you're blessed to be alive, because as long as you’re alive there is hope.”
Ms Bloom said while she still wishes she could run down the beach with a surfboard under her arm, she is grateful to be back in the water surfing.
“Life is many things all at once, and some of those things suck, but don’t let the bad prevent you from enjoying the good,” she said.
“I can hate being paralysed but still be happy to be alive. I don't know if balance is the right word, but it's not all or nothing. While I can’t pretend I'm not hurting, I can still find joy in my life.
“We all face challenges every day, and life can be hard and painful for everyone.
“Try and accept hope and love where you can find it, even if it's from a scruffy little magpie.”
Ray White's Connect 2022 Conference was held at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre from August 8 to the 9th.
