Three young drunken louts attacked him, attempting to steal his wallet and as Mr Luke fought them off, he was hit on the left side of his head with a brick and survived purely due to the actions of nightclub security officer Brad Purdey who performed CPR until an ambulance arrived.
Put on a flight to Rockhampton from Mackay it looked as though Mr Luke would not make it.
Every day since, he has fought and defied the odds of recovery since that fateful night, with the love and caring support of his wife Fiona Luke and parents Grame and Maree Luke who live in Barooga.
Three months in a coma at Rockhampton Hospital followed with five months in intensive care, prior to being moved to a rehabilitation unit for intensive therapy, six months later it was believed nothing further could be done for Mr Luke.
It was suggested that he probably would not walk or talk or live a normal life, let alone become a dad and that the family might look at a nursing home.
Mr Luke’s family refused to give up and brought him back to Barooga, for their son was determined to get back to his previous self, despite advice from medical professionals saying otherwise.
His determination was unwavering and if he had to, he would crawl about the house rather than rely on a wheelchair.
Learning of Albury’s South West Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre’s program, the family applied and Mr Luke was accepted as an inpatient.
He and his wife moved to Albury to give him every chance at recovery and he later became an outpatient.
In 2003 Mr Luke and Ms Luke married and in 2005 welcomed their first son Ethan and the couple made the decision to move back to Barooga for additional support from the family.
Eventually Mr Luke found employment at Cobram Abattoirs where he had worked prior to moving to Mackay some years earlier.
In 2016 the business closed down and Mr Luke struggled to find employment, turned away from many local businesses due to his physical disability, the result of brain trauma caused by the devastating incident in Mackay.
Paralysis on his right side had left him with an unusual gait but he could walk without assistance and possessed a strong will to prove he could do the job required of him.
Then in 2020, Mr Luke was offered a trial for a role in customer service at Woolworths Supermarket in Cobram and this gentle courageous man has not looked back since.
He is a popular member of staff and loved by customers for his willingness to assist in any way he can. He loves the job, being out and about helping others.
“I get an adrenaline rush when somebody asks me for help, because years ago medical people didn’t think I would be able to help myself, let alone help others,” said Mr Luke with a proud smile.
Woolworths store manager Brad Lovejoy said Mr Luke had recently been nominated for Woolworths Care Award for Zone 4, which comprises a mix of regional and metropolitan stores, and he won.
Mr Luke is noted as having a lot of pride in his customer care role and has formed great relationships with customers and fellow teammates.
This 46-year-old father of two sons, Ethan, 18, and Mathew, 14, is an inspiration to others that if you are determined and possess a strong will, anything is possible.
However, Mr Luke attributes his success to his wife.
“I owe everything to Fiona who has been with me the entire way, she is just amazing and my parents too, who have never given up on me,” he said.
Footnote: The three drunken people who attacked Mr Luke that night in March, 2000, served a prison sentence. Two were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and have now been released, while the youngest, 14, was sent to a Youth Detention Centre.
It was a big story in the Mackay paper at the time and hopefully changed people’s behaviour.
Cancer support group enables sufferers to connect
The Cobram Cancer Support Group has been active for more than 30 years, offering cancer sufferers, survivors and carers with a special opportunity to meet and support each other on the first Friday in each month at Killara House.
The group offers much more than a friendship group, as it allows members to show their vulnerability through their cancer journey and share a special camaraderie that is strongly built from their own experiences of this insidious disease together with a deep understanding of what others have been through and continue to battle on a daily basis.
Besides monthly gatherings, the group recently enjoyed a ‘Christmas in July’ dinner at the Barooga Hotel, where people got to know each other a little better while tucking into a magnificent traditional Christmas dinner together with all the trimmings.
If you have received a cancer diagnosis, are in recovery or remission and would like to meet with others who understand what you are going through or a carer of somebody who is undergoing treatment, contact Trish on 5872 2346 or Diana on 5874 2352 and come along on Friday, September 1, at 1.30pm to Killara House.
