Happy new year everyone
May 2024 bring much happiness, good health and success to you and every member of your family.
James Parr GQ Model of the Year
Former Cobram man James Parr was awarded the GQ Model of the Year title at a gala evening held at the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, attended by movers and shakers of the male fashion industry.
Since moving to Melbourne, James, 27, has built strong relationships with some of the world’s top designers, such as Boss, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, together with design and fashion leaders nationwide.
At the prestigious event, James looked every inch like a winner, wearing a stylish design by Georgio Armani.
GQ celebrates the most influential people driving the magazine’s culture with its Men of the Year issue, and James is seen as a champion of diversity and inclusion.
He is not only a fashion model but also a disability advocate working at enacting change and pushing for greater recognition within the industry.
To say this young man is proud of his success would be correct.
He has come a long way since losing his right leg below the knee several years ago to cancer.
He could have easily given up, but he was not about to let the amputation dictate who he was or limit him to what he could achieve.
Celebrities from around the globe attended the event, including singers Willow Smith and the Veronicas, popular new media celebrity Robert Irvin, champion wheelchair tennis player Dylan Alcott and model Troye Sivan were among many recognisable faces.
James is gaining recognition as a change maker for Australian Fashion Week, pushing for greater recognition in the industry.
Today, he has a manager, social media agent, assistant and stylist, a long way from his days as an athlete and teaching aid in Cobram.
James also recently hosted a Podcast at the hugely popular Beyond the Valley music festival held over four days of the new year weekend at Barunah Plains in the Golden Plains Shire, attended by thousands of enthusiastic young music fans.
No limitations to success for Connor
Barooga teenager, 15, Connor Tarrant completed Year 10 at St Mary of the Angels Secondary College, Nathalia, in sensational style in 2023.
Continually setting the bar high is nothing new for this amazing young man,
“I really value hard work and I am dedicated to always do my best,” said Connor.
Success comes from his preparedness to work hard at his studies, resulting in this brilliant young man achieving six awards at St Mary’s presentation day held in November, where Connor virtually scooped the pool.
He was presented with the following awards:
1. Christian leadership, a five-week program with selected students who are coached to become leaders of the future;
2. Australian Defence Force-Long Tan ( awarded to a student demonstrating exceptional teamwork and leadership);
3. The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program at Melbourne University. Connor will participate in a two-year program of events and activities at the university designed to expand his academic and personal horizons. Of 2000 applicants, just 540 were awarded a place;
4. Academic excellence in English, Chemistry, Physics, Humanities and Religion; and
5. Academic achievements.
While mature beyond his years, the teenager’s life has not been an easy one as he suffered horrendous complications during a traumatic birth.
Doctors diagnosed Connor with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy, which affected the nerves in his neck and left arm.
As a five-month-old baby, Connor underwent seven hours of surgery where nerves were grafted from the backs of his legs to his neck and arm, but unfortunately, the surgery was not successful.
At the age of two, a frightening nerve test was undertaken without sedation, and the little boy has suffered extreme anxiety since that period.
Connor had sustained a significant injury to four of the five brachial plexus nerves, requiring three surgeries before he reached the age of five years.
Over the years, Associate Professor David McComb studied Connors’s condition to the point of going overseas to learn more about the injury and what could be done. He has provided amazing support and friendship to Connor and his family.
Recovery from separation anxiety was challenging, particularly for such a little chap and while anxiety is a condition he has learnt to cope with, he also has paralysis in his left arm, which restricts many activities, and his strength and range of motion are permanently affected.
Life is not easy.
However, this courageous young man is determined to show the world that you can rise from adversity and become the person you set your mind to be.
Connor possesses a kind, empathetic personality and is undeniably a valuable role model to his fellow students. He is admired by all his teachers.
He is ready to ‘reach for the sky’ as he begins the first year of VCE and keen to pursue a career in either maths or science after achieving A+ in six subjects and A in another subject in his final exams for the year.
Physiotherapy has played a vital role as he continues to grow, and Connors’s parents, Sarah and Grant, installed an inground pool, which has been of great benefit in helping him build up the muscles in his left arm.
“I also take cold showers because I read how it stimulates brain function, and while I didn’t like it at first, I enjoy it now,” Connor said.
He plays golf with his dad and, of course, swims a lot, too, but his balance is compromised, and he needs to be careful he does not fall.
Connor is determined to achieve the goals he continues to set for himself, such as a Year 12 school captain at St Mary’s, a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in computers or engineering at Melbourne University, followed by postgraduate study at Cambridge University in England.
He would also like to create his own business in his mid-20s.
“My skin crawls at the thought of my future, and I am excited about what I will learn and achieve while overcoming the many academic and mental challenges I will face,” Connor said.
Footnote: Connor has incredibly supportive parents, Sarah and Grant, who are constantly amazed at their son’s ability to set challenges, reach them, and then raise the bar again.
Considering the struggles he has overcome from his significant injuries, Connors’s courage and determination are inspiring.
Sarah began her dog grooming business, which she runs from home to fit in with Connor and his medical appointments and physiotherapy sessions. At the same time, Grant is the general manager of the Shepparton RSL Club.