A Gold Coast man living with a rare nerve disease has spoken out after a 4WD towing a jet ski allegedly took up four accessible parking spaces at a Bunnings store.
Kyle Willmington, who wears leg braces because of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, said he was stunned when he alerted staff at Bunnings Southport about the vehicle and was initially met with a blunt response.
“This is just out of this f***ing world that somebody would think this is acceptable,” Kyle said in a video of the incident, which he shared on Instagram and has since racked up millions of views.
Kyle said he approached a staff member after seeing the Nissan 4WD and jet ski occupying the accessible parking spaces.
“I said to the greeter, ‘Hey, mate, there’s a guy out there with a jet ski parked across all the disability spaces’,” he said.
“He said, ‘Oh, what do you want me to do about it?’”
“My heart dropped, and I just got filled with adrenaline.”
Kyle began filming the incident before moving his own car closer to the store entrance. A staff member then told him he could not park there and needed to move to a regular space.
“I just went, are you joking?” Kyle said.
He questioned why staff were prepared to intervene when he parked near the entrance but had not immediately addressed the vehicle blocking the accessible spaces.
Other Bunnings staff eventually called the driver over the store’s PA system, and Kyle said the vehicle was moved within minutes.
The incident prompted an online debate, with some questioning whether Kyle was disabled because he is able to walk.
For Kyle, those comments highlighted a wider misunderstanding about disability.
He lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a rare condition affecting the peripheral nerves that can cause muscle weakness, reduced sensation and difficulty moving.
He said the condition can also fluctuate, with some days significantly harder than others.
“I have a rare nerve disease. I wear leg braces, which you can see in the video. My hands barely work,” he said.
“Some days are really difficult for me,” he said.
“Some days I’m very fatigued, and I can barely stand. So parking close to things just to get those tasks done is really important.
“I might as well just not go out.”
Kyle said he is often questioned or stared at when using an accessible parking space because his disability is not immediately obvious.
He also stressed that accessible parking is not only for wheelchair users.
“They see the international symbol of disability, which is the wheelchair, and that’s all they think,” he said.
“They don’t think that disabilities are broader than a wheelchair.”
Accessible spaces can provide additional room for people using mobility aids, including leg braces, scooters and other equipment, to safely get in and out of their vehicles.
Kyle said businesses needed to better understand non-visible disabilities and respond quickly when accessible spaces were being misused.
Bunnings later apologised to Kyle, with a spokesperson saying that the site manager acted immediately after being made aware of the vehicle.
“An announcement was made over the PA and the vehicle was moved within 10 minutes,” the statement read.
“We take accessibility seriously and expect everyone to respect accessible parking spaces.
“When we’re made aware of misuse, we will take action to ensure these spaces remain available for people with disability or mobility restrictions.”
Kyle hopes the incident creates a “shockwave” beyond Bunnings and encourages greater awareness of accessibility.
Images: Instagram
