From the Iron Lung

Jim's Story

On these pages, you will find glimpses on the life story of Jim Vickers-Willis. From his personal account of World War 2 service as a Spitfire pilot and flying instructor in Jim's War Diary, to the People Magazine article about his Thrust to Stardom as one of Australia's premier entertainers, to his intimate portrayal of life From The Iron Lung which he wrote as he lay paralysed by polio and coming to terms with imprisonment inside an iron lung life support system, to his fight to live and to go on to achieve The Quality of Life, to find The Magic of Life!

How did Jim make it through? How did he achieve so much happiness in the face of such adversity? With depression, anxiety and despair on the march and our society appearing clueless on how to solve our human problems, Jim's Story is a beacon to others on what it takes to rebound from the problems life inevitably throws at us all - a rebound made possible by the selfless love and support of his life-long partner and wife Beth (pictured above with Jim). We hope you enjoy reading these passages on aspects of Jim's life, and that it provides you with some helpful personal insights.

And, if you know someone who is troubled by challenges in their life and may be at risk of harming themselves (perhaps even taking their own life) please seek professional help from a local community agency - some Australian and international contacts are listed at right.