General News
19 June, 2026
‘My will to live’
FOR Jorge Castro, his job at Meals on Wheels has been a lifesaver, after he ‘died’ for a few moments following a tragic motorbike accident between the Rex Lookout and Port Douglas on the Cook Highway.
His role as an administration officer and the ‘face’ of Meals on Wheels (MoW) has lifted him from the despairs of struggling to get work as a paraplegic in a wheelchair.
However, the Peruvian said it was a near-death experience after the crash which led him on a journey with many ups and downs
He said while lying badly injured in Cairns Hospital in August 2023 ‘an angel’ appeared.
Mr Castro had been flown to hospital by the rescue helicopter and was in emergency.
He had broken his back, his spinal cord was badly damaged and blood was filling his lungs.
“You know, you’re dying, because my lung was full of blood, and I was dead for a couple of seconds, because I stopped breathing,” the 34-year-old said.
“So, when I stopped breathing, I had the experience of a little girl coming into me in the emergency room.
“She was one of the most beautiful little girls that I had ever seen in my life. I was so impressed of how beautiful this little girl was that I couldn't even talk to her, because I was in shock.
“I remember she was really bright and really beautiful. Behind her, there was an old lady talking to her in her ear.
“I remember the old lady telling the little girl something in her ear, and she said to the little girl, go and talk to him.
“The only thing that she said to me was: ‘Don't worry, everything's going to be OK’. She said it three times and in that moment is when I stop breathing.
“I saw, and I experienced, the white light, the white light comes to you, and your soul, I guess, goes up and they become just one.
“In that moment, I realised, OK, I am dying. Oh, God.
“But I gotta say, when you are in that stage, you feel really pleased, peace, love, that you feel good.
“You know that you are dying because you can feel your body is getting disconnected in this case, let's call it soul. So, in that moment, all I said to myself is I'm really sorry to my family, so I was just asking for forgiveness.”
The former chef said he was closest to his mother who died after he came to Australia when he was 26.
“I didn't see my mother, but I felt her presence. She said to me: ‘No, no, it's not your time, you got to get back’,” he said.
Mr Castro said he was taken into theatre for emergency surgery to stop the blood from filling his lungs. After the crash in August 2023, he spent 11 months in hospitals and rehabilitation in Brisbane and Cairns.
After many years of adventures and living the Australian dream, as well as working as a chef and baker, Mr Castro struggled to get used to life in a wheelchair.
He was a CrossFit enthusiast, a boxer, loved riding his motorbike, playing the piano, running, skydiving and snowboarding.
“OK, but you realise, you're in this situation, you thrive or die,” Mr Castro said.
He returned to Cairns in January 2024 and continued his rehabilitation, focusing on adapting to life in a wheelchair.
He rented a place in Manunda and took online courses to learn new skills, including marketing and data entry.
After four to five months he couldn’t get work.
“One day I just got over it and said: 'I'm not doing anything’. I just lost the dream of getting a job somehow,” he said.
But it was a visit to financial advisor and MoW treasurer Judy Brown which led to Meals on Wheels.
He worked one day, then three days a week before Meals on Wheels general manager Chris Van Dorssen offered him full-time work in January last year.
Mr Castro said he was “blessed”.
"It (the job) helps me a lot, and it's because it's just about an opportunity that life gives you, you gotta take,” he said.
He now has his own house at Bentley Park and a car, both adapted for life in a wheelchair.
Mr Van Dorssen said Mr Castro was now part of the Meals on Wheels family.
He said when Mr Castro arrived he had low esteem and not a lot of confidence.
“He’s a cheeky bugger and I think the role has helped him big time," Mr Van Dorssen said.
“All the clients love him. I think he’s a character and he has really blossomed in the role.
“He’s only going to get better and more confident in himself.”
