When Peter Howell was 71 years old he was given the choice of whether to live or die. How and why he was put in that position is not the most astounding part. The disconcerting aspect is that he had to think long and hard about his choice.

Men climb mountains, sail solo around the world and trek through deserts but to really test a man's character put him in a hospital bed where he is unable to communicate or move and can only breathe because of a machine. And leave him there for 107 days with nothing but his thoughts. Once he gets through that present him with the devastating reality of the rest of his life.

Peter arrived in Australia as a wide-eyed 16 year old with lofty goals and ambitious dreams and he exceeded them all to become one of Western Australia's most successful and experienced transport opera-tors.

Then, in two seconds, his life was turned completely and permanently upside down.