Tiny’s Story

Georgia Ongarezos is the youngest person to complete a solo crossing from Rottnest Island in the dark of night, achieving the feat in late 2020 and raising more than $13,000 for Lifeline WA in the process.

The accomplished swimmer was motivated to support Lifeline WA by her own struggle with depression, which had seen her stop training entirely.

Recognising how many of her peers were fighting the same darkness, she conceived the idea of the night swim to help shine a light on the importance of mental health.

“I counted 22 people I know that have a mental illness or are suffering as a consequence of loved ones with mental illnesses and this broke my heart,” Georgia says.

“I decided to swim in the darkness from Rottnest to Perth to inspire those who are struggling at the moment and feel like they are in darkness.”

For Georgia, Lifeline WA’s importance is in the lifeboat it represents for people lost in the currents of mental health issues.

“It gives me such peace of mind to know that if any of the people I love are struggling and reach out to Lifeline for help, their lives are more likely to be saved,” she says.

Even up to the night of the swim, Georgia was in a depressive state behind the smile she presented to the world.

“I didn’t realise that the tunnel I was in was still extremely dark and to be honest I hadn’t found the light yet,” she recalls.

But coming ashore at Cottesloe Beach as dawn broke was a turning point for her mental health, and she has a message for others who are struggling.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel, and you can get there if you believe in yourself,” she says.

Since completing the swim, Georgia has continued to fundraise and advocate for Lifeline WA in the community.

Retired cricketer Brad Hogg has achieved a sporting success level that would envious many Australians.

Raised on a sheep farm in the Great Southern region, Brad rose from the Tarwonga Cricket Club to represent Australia as a wrist spin bowler and batsman.

He excelled at all formats of the game, ranking second among spin bowlers in wickets taken in One Day International cricket and achieving cult hero status as part of the fledgling Big Bash League in the 2010s.

However, retirement from cricket presented a difficult challenge for Brad. The loss of identity as a professional athlete, combined with issues in his personal life, resulted in Brad’s mental health declining. Brad says he compounded the problem by hiding it behind a forced smile and trademark self-deprecation.

“While I went through my stuff, I didn’t really talk to anyone about it. I just kept it inside myself and didn’t really express it,” he says. “I just didn’t see the answers, and all I could see was doom and gloom.”

Brad didn’t access resources like Lifeline WA when he needed help, and now he’s motivated to spread the word about Lifeline WA so others don’t make the same mistake.

“When you go down into a little bit of a spiral and things aren’t going right, if you don’t address them straight away then the hole just gets bigger,” he says.

Speaking publicly about his experience of depression for the first time was difficult, but Brad sees it as necessary.

“The first time I spoke, I was really nervous, but when I realised I could help at least one or 10 or 100 people, I felt better about it,” he says. “I hope that normalising life’s struggles and encouraging people to be open makes an impact.”

His message for people who are struggling is simple. “For me, it’s about talking it out and getting open with it when you start to see things aren’t going right. There are resources out there like Lifeline WA to help you.”

Rosanna Leo is the Western Australian finalist for Lifeline’s Mary Parsissons Outstanding Volunteer Award.

The award recognises the outstanding effort of volunteers across the country who have contributed to the community, have been an inspiration within their centre and shown leadership.

Rosanna has been a dedicated Telephone Crisis supporter with Lifeline WA since 2012 and was nominated for excellence in the volunteer field, leadership and for making an inspirational contribution to the community.

Having previously worked in education and small business, Rosanna currently works with people living with a disability, bringing what she’s learnt throughout her life to her role at Lifeline WA. Rosanna’s drive to continually learn and improve her knowledge in both her personal and professional life, is evident with every person she helps, on and off the phones.

Rosanna is inspired by the tenacity of people in crisis, as well as the kindness, compassion, and professionalism of her colleagues.

“We have a very inspirational volunteering environment of mutual respect and growth, individually and collectively.”

“Nothing yet beats being part of a team dedicated to offering a safe space for people in crisis to turn to and be deeply heard and responded to, no matter who they are, when they call or whatever their circumstance.”

We are proud to have Rosanna as part of the Lifeline WA team.