LIFE has thrown plenty at Shane and Jean Davis in recent years.
A few weeks ago the Marsden couple and their seven children were dealing with their latest misfortune – a fire destroyed their fridge and freezer and left smoke damage throughout their home in Brisbane’s southern suburbs.
“I was recovering from breast cancer, my husband was still unable to work due to a back injury and we were constantly paying out additional money to support three of our children diagnosed with autism,” Mrs Davis said.
“Then the fire happened in early July, just before the children were due to go back to school from second-term holidays.
“Fortunately, the dryer which caught fire was in a covered area outside but thick black smoke went all through the inside of the house.
“For two days we had no power and on the first night cooked our dinner on the barbecue by the light of our mobile phones.
“We had no contents insurance … that was one bill we couldn’t afford.”
But once again their “angels”, local St Vincent de Paul Society members George and Margaret were there to lend a helping hand.
There were new angels too, a newly-married couple Shane and Jean have yet to meet and know only as “Trish and Rob”.
The Brisbane couple requested friends and family donate to the St Vincent de Paul Society Winter Appeal instead of buying them wedding presents.
The mother of the bride coincidentally brought seven blankets donated at the wedding into the Marsden centre the morning after the Davises’ house fire.
It was these blankets the family received when they came to seek help.
Last week when The Catholic Leader visited Shane and Jean they had just returned from Logan Hospital.
Shane had a drill bit slip into his finger while he was attempting to repair a section of fire-damaged ceiling.
An infection had spread over a week from his finger, up his arm and into his chest.
It was a quiet moment at the house with all seven children – Shawn, Zachary, Emily, Brianna, Joshua, Shanae and Destiny – aged from 15 years to 18 months, either at school or in day care.
The couple said life had been challenging in the past eight years since leaving Moree for Waterford West and then Marsden.
“We moved from Moree to Waterford in the hope of finding better facilities for our children with autism,” Jean said.
“Then about a year later I got my cancer diagnosis.
“Shane was still suffering from a back injury he’d received after falling from a tractor at Moree.
“We’d gone to the local Vinnies for help and George and Margaret visited us soon after.
“On their third home visit just before Christmas they came dressed with Christmas hats and tinsel on their car with presents for the kids.
“That was about seven years ago and they’ve provided wonderful support ever since.”
Mrs Davis said after the fire there was “no definite support” from government departments.
“So I went straight down to the Vinnies conference room which is in the church hall next to the local church (St Maximilian Kolbe),” she said.
“God love George, he was in that day.
“I said, ‘George if I ever needed you it’s now’.
“The first thing they gave us were the seven blankets which had arrived only a short time before.
“We only found out a couple of days ago where the blankets came from. It was very moving.”
Mrs Davis said George and Margaret and other Vincentians hadn’t stopped helping them since, whether it’s been blankets, food or just dropping by to check and make sure they’re “physically and mentally okay”.
“Once again the support has been terrific,” she said.
“We certainly wouldn’t be able to get back on our feet so quickly and stay there without this help.”
The couple said they were impressed by the society’s work. They already dropped in clothing and other items for other families in need and intended to look at volunteering work with the society once their children were older.
Marsden St Vincent de Paul Society conference president Gerry Schrama said the donations from the wedding party had been “a godsend”.
“I hope this story may encourage others to think about the money they pour into gifts that are not really needed,” he said.
“Such resources can be better used to give families who are really struggling such as the Davises ‘a hand up’.”
