Survivor: Meg Whittaker still carries the scars of her accident.
JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
IT TOOK a decade for Meg Whittaker to finally confront the demons that had haunted her since the accident.
“It wasn’t spoken of much within the family,” Meg observed.
“I think mum and dad were trying to protect me because I was only seven when it happened.
“I think I blocked it out. Plus, you tend to forget some of it over time.”
Only during year 12 in 2010 was Meg finally able to try understanding what happened.
It was meant to be a happy time, enjoying the car ride home to Geelong West after a family holiday at Warrnambool.
The smash killed the driver of the other vehicle and left Meg, her mother and father in hospital with serious injuries.
“It was horrendous,” Meg said simply.
The accident left her mother with permanent reminders, still requiring walking aides to be mobile today.
“As a kid, seeing mum walking around on a stick was normal. And missing out on outings like the beach because mum couldn’t go there was part of the price we paid,” Meg said.
“I can remember turning seven while I was in hospital. I had a pancake birthday party in the ward.
“But I can also remember I had lots of psychological treatment afterward.”
Meg chose art as the vehicle to express herself, with her work included in a TAC art exhibition of pieces by road trauma survivors.
Meg said she finally saw the photographs of her family car as she was creating her artwork.
“It was horrible to look at but it helped me process what had happened. I needed to face up to the severity of what occurred in order to deal with it.”
Then her anger finally emerged, she said.
“The etchings express my anger at the pointlessness of it all.
“I’m still always nervy in the car if there’s a need for sudden braking.
“People don’t understand that not wearing seatbelts or going a few kilometres too fast can impact the rest of your life.”
Meg said the cost of the accident was always apparent but her family coped as best it could.
“We have a family dinner on the anniversary of the accident to celebrate the fact we’re alive and we’re happy for that.
The Melbourne University Bachelor of Arts student was now considering majoring in psychology.
“After all I’ve been through I think I make a good listener,” Meg smiled.
The TAC exhibition, Picture this 2011, will be at Geelong Gallery from July 30 to September 4.
