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Former truckie ‘heartbroken’ to have to quit industry

A former truckie who can no longer work because of his health has said it “broke his heart” to have to quit the industry.  

Greg Grimshaw from Gracemere in Queensland was an interstate driver for 40 years, but had to give it all up when he went into liver failure.  

His wife Sally Grimshaw told Big Rigs: “He had to stop driving late last year, which he said broke his heart because his mind’s not ready to give up, but his body was. 

“Truck driving is all he’s done, his whole life. His father was a truck driver as well, and he was killed on the roads 31 years ago, a month off retirement.”  

Sally said her husband worked for different companies over the years, including Malley’s Transport in Queensland.  

“Greg worked with Malleys for two-and-a-half years, carting bananas,” Sally said.  

“We were up there for the reunion recently.  

“He was keen to go and then a couple of days before it was happening, he was going to pull out at the last minute because of his health.  

“I pushed him to go, which I felt bad about, but I knew that it would be something that would probably never happen again and he would regret not being there.  

“There were a lot of fellas there that he hadn’t seen for 18, 19 years. He was glad he went.”  

Grimshaw has been a truck driver his whole life. Photo: Sally Grimshaw.

Grimshaw is in pain every day and doesn’t get out of the house very often, apart from to go to the hospital in Brisbane.  

He’s currently waiting on a liver transplant, but has no idea when that might happen.  

“He suffers really bad pain and discomfort, and he’s so bored at home as well,” she said.  

“They are trying to get him healthier and ready for the transplant, but sometimes he’s so crook I worry he won’t even make it that far.  

“It’s not happy days.”  

Sally has launched a GoFundMe campaign to purchase an electric bed for her husband, which she said would help make him more comfortable.  

“We tried to go through NDIS but it’s a bit of a muck around,” she said.  

“An electric bed costs $7000 and being on the pension, we don’t have those funds.  

“If you could help a family in need make this happen, it would be much appreciated.”  

You can donate to their campaign here.  

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