It’s his way of evening the score because five months ago the Gold Coast plumber says he was “crying like a baby” while trying to come to the realisation he may never walk again.

The 34-year-old has been left an impartial quadriplegic after breaking two bones in his neck following a surfing accident at Kirra in February.

Speaking about his life since then for the first time, Rob talks about the “peacefulness” of drowning, not wanting his two young boys to see him, tears of sorrow and joy, the support from the community, being able to use a mobile phone again and news he is days away from starting the next chapter of his life.

The Burleigh man is hoping to leave hospital next month to join his wife and two sons, Rafe, 5, and Bowie, 10 months. It will come after a week in intensive care, two weeks in an orthopedic unit and too many days to remember in the spinal ward at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.

THE ACCIDENT

ROB says the memory of falling headfirst from his board on February 9 is as clear as the water at Kirra: “I just jumped off my board and boom, I stuffed myself.

“The wave was one of the waves you put hamsters on or guinea pigs. It was tiny, you know. I’m an inexperienced surfer. I was face down in the water — it was clear blue — and I could see my arms waving around. I tried to move and I could move my arms. I couldn’t move my legs. Then I couldn’t roll over.

“This is happening second by second. I just thought I would hold my breath until someone scoops me out of the water.”

That’s when he realised he was drowning: “It was peaceful, hey. You know how they talk about it being peaceful. It was about 30 seconds where I was doing that drowning.

“After that it’s just blank. Clear blue water, you could just see what was going on.

“There was an off-duty paramedic (Rod Benson) who came to my assistance. He’s a legend. I have to get him a carton of beer.”

ON THE BEACH

WHEN Rob regained consciousness on the beach he says he couldn’t let his boys see him.

“I told Katie to get the boys away. I’m going to be in a chair forever. I knew that day (I would be a quadriplegic), which didn’t make it easier for the next month or two. I was pretty down with depression. I cried like a baby for a month. It was a tough time.”

But each time his thoughts returned to his children.

“The boys are too little,” Rob says. “They’ll never remember their dad walking. Rafe, the little dude, might, but they’re so young.

“They’re already climbing up the chair. Rafe says ‘daddy, don’t drop (things)’ about five thousand times, and I go ‘I’ll try not to mate’.

“(Rafe) is starting to whinge a bit that I’m not home. He’s getting to that age when dad’s a legend because he’s fun and irresponsible.

“It’s such a beautiful thing and I only had it for a few months where most dads have it for 15 years. He’ll never lay (working) under cars with me like we used to.”

The fly-in, fly-out worker had taken time off work before the accident and bought an old 4WD to spend days at the beach with his family.

“We were just hanging out. We bought an old LandCruiser (so we could) hang out at the beach every day. There’s no better time to be on the Gold Coast than February.”

ROAD TO RECOVERY

BEING an incomplete quadriplegic means Rob’s spinal cord was damaged, but it hasn’t been completely severed so there’s a slight chance of recovery.

However, infections and blood clots are a daily battle.

“There’s a sliver of hope, that’s what that incomplete effectively means. And we do hang on to that,” Rob says.

“Two weeks in bed (due to infection) sets you back a month at least. What little muscle I’ve built in that time is the first to wither away, so you have to start again.

“It’s hard because when you start to feel better you just want to rip into it, but I’m weak as piss, you know.”

Rob has limited used of his upper body and, only recently, his hands, to the point where he can use a mobile phone.

He was strong enough to watch Queensland beat NSW at Suncorp Stadium last month to win rugby league’s State of Origin series.

“That was pretty good, my first night out of hospital.

“I’d love to do naked cartwheels out of here so my next best thing, my next goal, is to have working hands again.”

Initially Rob says he was hesitant of “goal-setting meetings” at the hospital.

“I didn’t want to set little goals. I want it all. I want to be the way I was before I came in here. When I get on the (rehabilitation) machines and they ask how many (repetitions) I’ve done, I can’t tell them. I just work the machine until I’m absolutely stuffed.

“I just do it until I’m out of breath. Then I’ll go again.”

Despite the trauma of that day in February and its lasting effect, Rob says he is not afraid of the water and one day, however far away, he wants to be in the surf again.

SUPPORT

ROB says three things were at the forefront of getting him through the dark days — his wife, his family and the support from the community.

The online crowd-funding page set up for his recovery has raised $34,000 of the $100,000 goal.

“I looked at the messages and that helped me a lot, even if it’s 10 or 20 bucks. They just said ‘I saw your story, I felt for you mate, all the best’. Stuff like that is invaluable to your recovery with the crashing mentally you’re feeling.”

Photographer Sean Scott donated images to auction and professional surfers Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning and Bede Durbidge provided gear.

“People have bent over backwards to give me a hand,” Rob said.

A sportsman’s lunch will be held on August 26 at Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park Surf Life Saving Club to raise money for his recovery.

“I feel like I’m taking the piss promoting all my fundraisers but this one’s $120 for all the drinks you want, comedians, lunch and (kickboxer) John Wayne Parr is going to be a guest speaker.”

Rob’s wife’s Katie, 33, has been there for everything from fundraising for their future to helping him cough, which he cannot do himself.

“She will push my diaphragm,” Rob says of his inability to cough.

All going well Rob will leave hospital next month and the family will move to the Sunshine Coast to be close to his parents. But he has eyes on one day returning to the Gold Coast to live.

Visit Rob’s online fundraising page, mycause.com.au /page/118472/robbos-road-to-recovery.