'Over the moon': Man's plea to find work for disabled brother 'hits the jackpot'
A man who reached out to a community Facebook page to help his disabled brother find work said he could not be more grateful for the positive response they received.
Paul Hardy, who lives in Australia, told Yahoo he shared a post on the Sunshine Coast Community Board on Sunday as a last resort, but his brother David is now “over the moon” after landing a position at the Kunara Organic Marketplace.
“We really hit the jackpot,” Paul Hardy told Yahoo.
“He is glowing, he’s wrapped and so stoked. Good on him. He deserves it, you know.”
In the original Facebook post Mr Hardy explained that his 34-year-old brother moved from New Zealand 14 months ago to be closer to family, and said even though he had applied for hundreds of jobs he had been knocked back every time.
Mr Hardy said David encounters short term memory loss, after experiencing problems at birth which resulted in his brain being damaged, but added that his brother has grown up to be a positive person who can “nail just about anything” with guidance.
The Sunshine Coast community banded together and following Mr Hardy’s post a number of opportunities were presented to David.
The 34-year-old had an interview on Monday afternoon at the Kunara Organic Marketplace at Forest Glen. Mr Hardy said his brother “nailed it” and starts next week.
Dagmar Simon, from Kunara Organic Marketplace, spotted Mr Hardy’s post on Sunday and said she replied straight away.
“It kind of really touched me,” Ms Simon told Yahoo.
“We’re just a close-knit team and everybody looks out for everybody.
“I felt I had something he would be suitable for.”
David has 12 years of supermarket experience in New Zealand, mainly as a storeman, but he has also carried out some stocktake and worked as a trolley collector.
Ms Simon said she and Mr Hardy messaged back and forth, and when she met David on Monday afternoon she knew “a hundred per cent” the 34-year-old would be perfect for the team.
“(He was) A bit nervous but you can see he is a wonderful man.”
She said they are a community based business and added: “I truly believe he will grow with us and make one of the most loyal employees Kunara will ever hire.”
“Everything I do, I do with the gut or the heart and it doesn’t often let me down.”
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Mr Hardy told Yahoo he knew David would get something positive out of his post, but said he was “really humbled that the community can do that.”
He added a few other people scored jobs following his post as well, and said despite people struggling to find work in the region their positive outcome shows what can happen when people support one another.
“Let’s not stop here,” Mr Hardy said.
“How easy it can be if everyone comes together… as opposed to people kicking the dirt. Let’s get proactive.”
