This is Your Life

It was great seeing Emily Barker on Channel Nine’s This is Your Life tonight honouring Todd McKenney.

It would seem that Todd truly deserved being the focus of the programme. He’s a talented performer and seems like a great guy.

If you haven’t heard of Emily’s story before: On 31 March, 2003 Emily’s mum Catherine was driving Emily to school when a semi-trailer collided with the family’s Holden Barina at a Beechboro intersection. Catherine, died soon after the accident and the talented 11 year old suffered life-threatening injuries.

Though being several years older than our daughter, also named Emily, the two girls have been friends for some time.

Todd has been a wonderful support for Emily Barker and her father, Ron, since Emily’s horrific accident over a year ago.

We had seen Emily Barker performing a number of times before her accident. She had an extraordinarily powerful singing voice and was in great demand for appearances at various concerts around Perth. I believe that she was banned from competing at a couple of talent competitions because she was just so good that no one else would have had a chance. With all that, she has always been one of the most polite and humble children you could ever meet.

On last night’s programme Emily got out of her wheelchair with the help of her dad and Todd. The show must have been shot a couple of months ago because Emily is continuing to improve daily. She’s back at school and walking about quite well without the use of a wheelchair.

I’m sure it’ll still be a long road for Emily but with friends like Todd McKenney and the support of her father she’ll keep moving forward.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

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