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14 | InTouch SUMMER 2025 A FAMILY’S JOURNEY THROUGH DISASTER, LOSS, AND RESILIENCE LEADS TO A LONG-AWAITED MOMENT OF HOPE After nearly three years of upheaval, from surviving Cyclone Gabrielle to navigating the challenges of William’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the Symons family finally received a gift that changed everything. FEATURE An early Christmas gift for William and his family At eleven years old Williams Symons has already lived through more than most grown-ups. William lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that makes his muscles weaker over time. But his spirit, bright, gentle, stubborn in the best way, remained strong. Nearly three years earlier, on the morning of February 14th, 2023, the world around him changed in a way no one could have expected. Eight-year-old William was asleep when a strange gurgling sound woke his parents, Bill and Hiromi. At first, they thought it was a pipe. But within moments, water began pushing under the front door. The level rose so fast it felt like the house was sinking. Bill and Hiromi rushed to William’s room, lifted him from bed, and made their way outside to Bill’s ute. Water was already racing through the yard, swirling around the tyres. They didn’t know if the engine would start, but it did. Just Above left: William at home on the farm. Right: William, Bill and Hiromi with their newmobility van.