If Neil Seaman had made a different decision at the age of 21, his life might have ended up in another place entirely. He was reeling in unspeakable grief, completely broken by the loss of his girlfriend Francine – the girl he believed was “the one” – in a horrific road accident that had also claimed the life of her grandmother. Neil had been behind the wheel; the accident was the fault of a drunk driver.
It was a Sliding Doors moment, and Neil knew he had a choice to make. He could let the grief and remorse destroy him, putting paid to any idea of a romantic future. Or he could mourn Francine and finally learn to move on, while never forgetting the love they’d once shared.
He took the second path, and today Neil is a father of three well-adjusted teenagers. While his marriage of 15 years to their mother, Sally Ward, ended four years ago, it did so amicably, with the pair now the best of friends. Sally has since gone on to find new love.
Happily ensconced in his dream job on the family farm in Crookwell, NSW, Neil is now ready to do the same. Which is what led the 43-year-old to sign up for the new season of Farmer Wants a Wife, encouraged by his kids, his ex, his parents, his friends and his extended family.
“I’ve got a pretty good package,” he explains of why he’s ready for this new adventure. “My kids are older and they’re all fine, they’ve got their own lives now. I’ve got a career set up. All the things that were distractions aren’t distractions anymore. I’ve never been more stable in many ways. But I was by myself. And I thought, ‘I don’t really want to be alone anymore. I just want to be with someone who has life experience and who’s willing to roll with the punches with me.’”
Esta historia es de la edición August 2020 de The Australian Women's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 2020 de The Australian Women's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Hitting a nerve
Regulating the vagus nerve with its links to depression, anxiety, arthritis and diabetes - could aid physical and mental wellbeing.
Take me to the river
With a slew of new schedules and excursions to explore, the latest river cruises promise to give you experiences and sights you won’t see on the ocean.
The last act
When family patriarch Tom Edwards passes away, his children must come together to build his coffin in four days, otherwise they will lose their inheritance. Can they put their sibling rivalry aside?
MEET RUSSIA'S BRAVEST WOMEN
When Alexei Navalny died in a brutal Arctic prison, Vladimir Putin thought he had triumphed over his most formidable opponent. Until three courageous women - Alexei's mother, wife and daughter - took up his fight for freedom.
The wines and lines mums
Once only associated with glamorous A-listers, cocaine is now prevalent with the soccer-mum set - as likely to be imbibed at a school fundraiser as a nightclub. The Weekly looks inside this illegal, addictive, rising trend.
Jenny Liddle-Bob.Lucy McDonald.Sasha Green - Why don't you know their names?
Indigenous women are being murdered at frightening rates, their deaths often left uninvestigated and widely unreported. Here The Weekly meets families who are battling grief and desperate for solutions.
Growing happiness
Through drought flood and heartbreak, Jenny Jennr's sunflowers bloom with hope, sunshine and joy
"Thank God we make each other laugh"
A shared sense of humour has seen Aussie comedy couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall conquer the world. But what does life look like when the cameras go down:
Winter baking with apples and pears
Celebrate the season of Australian apples and pears with these sweet bakes that will keep the midwinter blues away.
Budget dinner winners
Looking for some thrifty inspiration for weeknight dinners? Try our tasty line-up of low-cost recipes that are bound to please everyone at the table.