Brendon Meynell has put a new spin on the Christmas legend, dressing up as the Grinch to spread holiday spirit – and turning his own life around in the process.
This is the second time the Grinch has appeared in Logan, with hundreds of families last year flocking to Yarrabilba to catch a glimpse of the iconic green creature.
Mr Meynell has made it his mission to bring joy to his neighbourhood, unlike the Grinch who notoriously “stole Christmas”.
The 39-year-old has always been one to give back to the community, but almost lost his ability to do so after an accident playing cricket left him disabled with permanent nerve damage.
“I was chasing after a ball and I put my hand out as I came closer to the fence but couldn’t stop in time,” he said.
“I went over it and landed on my neck.”
Now Mr Meynell lives with pins and needles in his arm and leg, and faces challenges many take for granted.
“I’ve gone from being a very active person at work and cricket and all that, to struggling a lot with every day tasks,” he said.
“I need my wife most days to tie my shoelaces, I no longer drive anywhere, all that type of thing – it has turned my life completely.”
The accident also took a toll on Mr Meynell’s mental health.
But his drive to spread joy prevailed.
“I always believed that if I can make the people and world around me a little bit better, it has a snow ball effect where those people make those around them better and hopefully we all make a better place,” he said.
“We were trying to look for something where I could still give back and bring smiles to the kids faces and see excitement.”
Mr Meynell said photos with Santa at shopping centres weren’t accessible for families in Yarrabilba due to the high price and proximity, with the nearest ones at Browns Plains or the Hyperdome.
“We wanted to do something different, so we chose the Grinch,” he said.
“We had only planned to do it once to see how it went, but it was so popular and people came back so we did it five different nights.”
While some children are initially scared of Mr Meynell dressed as the Grinch, they “absolutely love him” by the time they leave.
“It feels good because my kids are getting older and the Christmas spirit is slowly leaving them,” Mr Meynell said.
“It gives me the opportunity to not only keep that spirit alive, but it gives me something to do and look forward to every year.”
He also makes 3D-printed toys – sometimes of dinosaurs or Santa Clauses – and dresses in a Santa suit to hand them out to local kids.
He will be doing this on Friday 6 December outside his home, 77 Buxton Avenue.
Mr Meynell will again be dressed as the Grinch outside his home on Saturday 14 December, from 10am-3pm.
He will be holding a colouring-in competition and lucky-dip prize bags.
