Golden Threads
Asking for help is not weakness | Naomi O'Byrne | Kintsugi Heroes
Naomi O'Byrne
A mother learns that 27 years of protection was holding her daughter back from the life she could build.
Kintsugi Studio
Golden Threads
Naomi O'Byrne
A mother learns that 27 years of protection was holding her daughter back from the life she could build.
You don't have to be in crisis to call.
Naomi O'Byrne is a single mother who raised her daughter Sarah while working full-time as a firefighter and emergency management professional. Sarah was born with intellectual disability, a rare genetic brain defect, severe epilepsy, physical disabilities including scoliosis, and is non-verbal. For 27 years, Naomi made every decision alone: mainstream school, specialist school, therapy, medication, respite care. She chose not to place Sarah in group homes and later bought her a unit instead. Through it all, Naomi worked two jobs and refused to ask for help, telling herself she could manage.
The breaking point came when Naomi developed lymphoma and Sarah's undiagnosed illness erupted as escalating behaviour. Both were in crisis. For the first time in her life, Naomi picked up the phone and called 000, asking strangers for help. Sarah was taken into respite care and never came home. Naomi expected disaster. Instead, Sarah thrived. She learned independence, caught buses, cooked, and built a life. The woman who thought protection was love realised she had been holding her daughter back through fear.
Two years later, Sarah lives in her own unit with 24-hour support and is happier than ever. Naomi entered empty nester grief, worked through it, and is planning to retire at 60. Both are building lives that feel like their own. What broke them open also showed them what was possible when someone finally said yes to help.
Every story here belongs to the person who lived it. They said yes to sharing it, and we sat with it carefully before it went up. Nothing here is exaggerated and nothing is used without permission. Read how we handle these stories ↗
Kintsugi Heroes · Registered Australian not-for-profit · kintsugiheroes.com.au ↗