Bourke St survivor in the swim a year on and looking ahead

TRENT Churchill still walks past the tree he landed under after he was mown down on Bourke St in the CBD almost a year ago. He can’t remember any of it, but in some ways he’s thankful for that.

TRENT Churchill still walks past the tree he landed under after he was mown down on Bourke St in the CBD almost a year ago.

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He can’t remember any of it — a head injury ensured that. But in some ways he’s thankful there is nothing vivid to recollect.

Mr Churchill was among a group of eight colleagues on their way to lunch last January 20 when they were struck from behind by a car. It was driven by a man ­now accused of six counts of murder and 28 of attempted murder. One of his workmates, Jess Mudie, was killed.

“I still think about her a lot,’’ said Mr Churchill, 42.

“She was such a nice girl, always smiling. She was young and going places in her career, for sure.’’

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Trent Churchill survived the Bourke St rampage. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Ms Mudie had flown in from Sydney and had met with Mr Churchill, an ­account manager for workplace injury insurers EML.

They had all been on their way to a restaurant in McKillop St as the incident unfolded. Witnesses later told Mr Churchill that his group was sent flying through the air, with each of the injured ­then cradled by strangers on the street as the full extent of situation became clear.

“I still walk past and wonder what everybody saw,’’ Mr Churchill said.

“I am thankful in some ways because I don’t have to live with the memories of the kind of carnage that so many other people saw.’’

The father of one had his left leg shattered in several places and sustained a blow to the head that wiped out his memory of that day.

He hopes to mark the year-long road back to full health by competing in this month’s Lorne Pier-to-Pub swim on January 12.

Jessica Mudie was killed in the Bourke St rampage. Picture: Instagram

There are no plans to set any records. Mr Churchill said he was just happy that his life had returned to some normality.

“It was certainly a struggle, especially in those first few weeks obviously,’’ he said.

“But the support of my family and friends has been so good.’’

He said the experience had granted him the ability to finally pause and appreciate life a little more.

“Things don’t seem as ­urgent now,’’ he admitted.

“I probably don’t get as stressed about the same things that I used to.

“I’ve learned about the importance of having an amazing group of family and friends, and being appreciative of that.

“A friend told me, ‘Life isn’t a dress rehearsal’. You only get one go at it. It’s here to enjoy.’’

Organised by volunteers of the Lorne Surf Life Saving Club, the Lorne Pier-to-Pub festival starts with a mountain-to-surf run on Friday January 12. The open water event, the largest of its kind in the world, is a day later. Info at: lornesurfclub.com.au

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