Shortly after Freddie was born, I was in a very bad motor accident. I was in the hospital for weeks and came out with a severe brain injury and a badly affected temper. The relationship I had with Freddie’s Mother completely deteriorated and our little family fell apart.
On one occasion, we had a huge fight and I ended up in a rage. It’s not something I’m proud to admit, but I acted violently and received a criminal record because of my terrible behaviour. To this day, there is not a moment that passes that I wish I could undo what happened that night.
Needless to say, we separated soon after that, and I was no longer allowed to see Freddie as his Mother no longer trusted me. Eight months passed by, painfully, and I decided to apply to the Courts to receive access to Freddie. I needed to prove I could effectively meet his needs as a Father, so I was granted limited weekly supervised Contact at Voice of the Child.
Freddie had just turned 18 months old, and the support team at VOC really helped show me the ropes. I never felt judged, and slowly but surely gained the confidence to change my first nappy! As the weeks went by, our bond grew stronger and stronger and I learnt how to talk with my son. I finally felt like the Father I knew I could be.
I have now recovered from my accident and been granted a clean bill of health. Words cannot describe the happiness and relief I felt the day the doctor told me. I returned to the courts with this news and they awarded me with unsupervised but supported contact with my little baby boy.
I see Freddie regularly now and it is all thanks to the incredible team at Voice of the Child. Thank you for giving me a life back with my son.
Mr Eyre’s Family, told by Mr Eyre, 38, 2022
