Spiritual Awakening After Stroke

Hi, I’m Michael and I’m a stroke survivor.

I have just completed my first weekend camp as an Assistant Leader in the Survival Team for Scouts Victoria—120 kids, 12+ troops, and 40 leaders from across Western Victoria. It was a spiritual event for me.

The Journey to Camp

As our four-man Survival Team drove out of Melbourne during peak-hour traffic for the four-hour drive to the Grampians, I sat in the backseat (the newbie spot!) contemplating life.

I felt excited, and a little nervous, about the next two days. The last time I was surrounded by so many Scouts was over 30 years ago—back then, I was one of them. Now, I was returning as a leader.

A Spiritual Awakening

When we arrived at the Scout camp, I stood looking at the mess hall, the toilet and shower blocks, the gazebos set up for meals, the Scouts aged 11 to 14 wandering about, and the collection of leaders. All of it was set against the backdrop of gum trees, birdsong, and a cool breeze.

It was exhilarating. It felt like a spiritual awakening.

Giving Back After Stroke

A stroke makes you re-evaluate life. One of my decisions was to give back to the community. At first, I wasn’t sure how to do it. Then a friend who runs the Survival Team told me about the group and invited me to join.

As a former Scout, an Army veteran, and someone who loves camping, working with young people—teaching bushcraft and survival skills—sounded like the perfect way to spend a weekend.

Finally, I was there. Inside, I almost cried.

Teaching Bushcraft

The next day, we ran four two-hour sessions, each with 25–30 kids. We taught them how to carve spoons: shaping the wood, using an ember to burn out the bowl, cutting stop-gaps to prevent splits, and finally sanding it smooth. How to use knives, hand saws and fire in a safe way.

Helping young people through each stage—guiding them, building their confidence, and seeing their pride in creating something from scratch—was deeply fulfilling.

Around the Fire

That night, sitting around the fire with other leaders, I heard story after story of joy and purpose.

One leader spoke about a Scout with apraxia—a speech condition I had after my stroke—who improved so much that his speech therapist and parents came to see why. Another leader admitted she wasn’t good at camping or hiking but excelled at paperwork. Her skill had just secured a $9,000 grant for a new trailer, with more applications on the way.

Finding My Tribe

By the end of the weekend, I realised something powerful: I had found my tribe.