Flynn's Rehab

Hi, my name is John Stewart and I am attempting to raise funds for the ongoing rehab of my son Flynn Stewart. Here is my story.

Flynn, and myself live in Wollongong NSW. My other son Harley resides in Canberra.

In late November 2024 Flynn was required to go to Canberra for a work conference. He works for the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations.

Early in the morning of the 26th November he suffered a brain aneurysm. He was found outside his hotel in a very disoriented and panicked state by two "Good Samaritans". They called 000 then left the scene after rifling through his clothes and stealing all his personal belongings, including his car keys and hotel passkey. Some Good Samaritans indeed. They entered the hotel and accessed his room where they removed a laptop computer. They then proceeded to the carpark where they stole his car, which contained 150 vintage record albums.

An ambulance arrived a couple of minutes later and transported Flynn to North Canberra Hospital. As all his belongings had been stolen he was assessed as a "John Doe" and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

When he failed to arrive at work, ring arounds were done to all the Police Stations and hospitals. He was eventually located and some identification was established. A brain scan revealed a severe bleed deep inside his brain. He was then transferred to South Canberra Hospital for surgery. At this stage there was a likelihood that he would not survive.

The surgery was successful and Flynn was placed on life support under heavy sedation. He remained in this state for six days.

His level of sedation was gradually decreased and the breathing tube removed. He regained consciousness but was not able to communicate.

Since that time there has been a gradual improvement to his state, however he is unable to speak or walk without assistance from hospital physios.

There are plans now to transfer Flynn to Wollongong Hospital for ongoing rehabilitation. This will be done in hospital initially.

The medical staff at South Canberra Hospital have been nothing short of excellent, however they are cautious about the chances of Flynn regaining all his faculties and ability to speak. It is possible, however we have been advised to take things one day at a time. Rehabilitation will be extensive and is expected to run well over the coming year.

Just as a side note, whilst Flynn was going through the above procedures his brother Harley contracted an infection that led to Sepsis. The infection spread to his lungs, resulting in him spending six days in Intensive Care and a further five days in recovery. Thankfully he has fully recovered and was discharged on New Year's Eve.

For my part, I have been driving between Wollongong and Canberra three times a week to look after both our homes and care for pets. I have incurred considerable expense in fuel and accommodation costs.

I am seeking the generous support through the Go Fund Me initiative. There are many obstacles to be overcome in the coming months and any assistance we can get will be greatly appreciated and used responsibly. I ask for your support to see our family through this very difficult time. The support and good wishes we have received from family and friends has been exceptional.

As a side note, Canberra Police have recovered our car and all of Flynn's possessions. The record collection, sadly has not been located.