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From the frontline - Jay Corns
Jay Corns, MOT team member at Housing Plus Group, explains how colleagues helped him recover from a serious illness that left him in a coma for 10 months
Tell us about your job
I work for Property Plus, which is part of Housing Plus Group. We carry out repairs and maintenance on tenants’ homes. I’ve been working there for 13 years.
I used to be a bricklayer. Four years ago a colleague found me unconscious in my van, outside the home of a customer. Later, I was admitted to hospital where they found that I was suffering from encephalitis – I was in a coma for 10 months and in hospital for a year.
My children were aged six, four and six months at the time and my wife Donna was told that if I recovered, I was unlikely to walk or talk again.
It was a long road back but I had a lot of support from the association and after a phased return I’m working full-time again. I’m part of the MOT team now. We’re multi-trade employees who visit one neighbourhood at a time, doing a whole range of work on all the houses.
How did you get into housing?
I started out as a footballer. I was a midfielder and was taken on as an apprentice with West Bromwich Albion. After that, I did some building work with my dad and grandad. The chance to work for the association as a bricklayer came at the right time, as I was getting married and thinking about starting a family. I wanted a permanent job with stability.
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What is the best part of your job?
I’ve always enjoyed working as part of a team. When I was ill, that became even more important. The guys were amazing.
They organised a charity football match to help my family while I was in hospital and kept visiting me all throughout my recovery. Because of them, returning to work always felt like a realistic goal, even while I was still learning to walk again.
What’s the worst part?
There honestly isn’t one, I’ve always enjoyed my job. I get on well with our customers and it’s good doing something practical that makes a difference. I like coming to work and got really frustrated during my rehabilitation – I’m not one for sitting at home.
If you could be prime minister for the day, what would you do?
I’d increase the salaries of people working in the NHS. I’d award a knighthood to the specialist who saved my life, too. One man fought for me, right from the start. He calls me his miracle.
What’s the most private thing you’re willing to admit to your colleagues?
Sometimes, I can’t remember people’s names – I’ve still got problems with my short-term memory. It’s a bit awkward when it’s someone I know really well!
