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Writer's pictureJo Surkitt

The Unexpected Wake-Up Call: How a Kangaroo Attack Led to a Life of Purpose and Passion


Life can sometimes be unpredictable and throw unexpected challenges our way. How an unexpected encounter with a kangaroo in 2010 proved to be a life-changing moment for Jo. This blog post explores how being brutally attacked by a kangaroo changed her life.


Jo had been living with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) for some time, and had also been recovering from Bell’s palsy. She had taken time out to attend a three-day silent meditation retreat designed for people with chronic illnesses. The retreat was set on a beautiful acreage and Jo was enjoying a mindfulness walk enjoying the breathtaking views in country Victoria. Suddenly a towering kangaroo appeared out of nowhere and began to box Jo with his fists and pound her with his hind legs. In shock and confusion, she didn't know whether to fight back, brace for impact, or flee. The kangaroo relentlessly attacked her, causing her clothes to shred and leaving her with numerous bruises and claw marks all over her body. The experience was traumatic, to say the least, and not what she had hoped for during a retreat designed to help her heal.


However, the incident also sparked a deep realization within. She began to reflect on what the

kangaroo might symbolize and discovered that kangaroos are a symbol of strength, stamina, moving forward, courage and protection.

They represent moving forward and never turning back, committing to one's vision and moving on from situations that are no longer serving you in a positive way. These insights helped the Jo realize that she had been holding herself back in her life and work. She had been making excuses for not reigniting her passion and her vision of inspiring and educating people to create positive change and enhance their wellness and overall happiness. She had been working in her wellness clinic along with two other jobs, which were not aligned with her passion, and her energies were unbalanced.

Jo made a conscious decision to resign from both jobs and focus on building her business, which involved running wellness retreats, corporate wellness programs, and seeing clients in her wellness clinic.


She put steps in place to action her vision and within a few weeks, her CFS and FM symptoms had improved significantly. She was able to do daily tasks with ease and her pain and fatigue had lifted.


Over the coming months, the business thrived and she also fell pregnant with her first son.


Her passion for inspiring and educating people was reignited, and she found joy in running her retreats and seeing clients.


Today, 13 years later Jo’s continues to facilitate retreats and has her clinic and healing space that she is proud of.

Jo reflects on the fact that if it weren't for the kangaroo attack, she may not have realized the need to make changes in her life. She credits the kangaroo with waking her up and helping her to follow her vision and take action.


In conclusion, Jo’s story highlights the importance of being open to the unexpected and finding meaning in even the most traumatic experiences. It shows us that sometimes, we need a wake-up call to realize that we are not living up to our potential or following our dreams.


It also demonstrates that it is never too late to make a change and pursue our passions. So, let us all be open to the unexpected and take action when we are inspired to pursue our visions.

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