Extraordinary Queenslanders and their stories from 2017
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The past 12 months have been full of Queenslanders who gave us hope and put themselves before others.
Before 2017 comes to an end we want to take a look back at those people, and share their stories once more.
Eli Vale
Seriously ill toddler Eli Vale was rewarded for a tough fight against a rare and aggressive form of cancer back in June, when he got to met his idol Batman.
The three-year-old superhero-in-training was even driven around Brisbane in a replica Batmobile to celebrate his birthday with family and friends.
Little Eli has been fighting ectomesenchymoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, since late 2016.
Danielle Hannah and Teresa Reed
These two really are a cut above the rest.
This year Danielle Hannah and Teresa Reed launched a mobile barbershop providing free haircuts to homeless people around Redcliffe, north of Brisbane.
The mobile shop was built from scratch, made possible by a $70,000 Queensland Government grant and support from local sponsors.
Michael Powell
This year the 55-year-old amputee accomplished a feat most able-bodied people can only dream of — swimming the English Channel.
Mr Powell, who lost part of his leg in a tractor accident when he was four, successfully took on the 32-kilometre swim between England and France back in August.
He was the sixth amputee to swim the English Channel, achieving his goal in 15 hours and 25 minutes.
Summer Farrelly
The world's first autism therapy program using chickens was developed in Queensland this year.
Summer Farrelly, 10, created Chicken to Love when she discovered spending time with chickens helped with her socialisation issues associated with her Asperger's diagnosis.
She said watching the chickens made her happy.
Summer's story was also shared on an episode of Australian Story this year.
Chris Holloway, Claire Browning and Jim Ferguson
These three SES volunteers were honoured for their bravery after rescuing a family from the roof of their home before it was swept away in floodwaters.
As the flooded Albert River devastated a street at Luscombe, the three rescuers took a boat up the river, dodging debris, to reach the woman and her two children.
Mr Ferguson said it was the scariest thing he's ever done.
Johnathan Thurston
Is there anything this man can't do?
Not only did he keep Queensland's State of Origin hopes alive in Game 2 when he kicked the winning conversion, but he's also a super nice bloke.
In November he was named Queensland's Australian of the Year for 2018.
And to cap off the year, just this month he was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal for his work in Queensland Indigenous communities.
Jeff Horn
The Brisbane-born boxing champ did what many said would be impossible and defeated Manny Pacquiao for the world title.
Billed as the Battle of Brisbane, Horn went the distance with the champ to claim the WBO welterweight championship.
Horn went on to successfully defend the title against British boxer Gary Corcoran in December.
Li Cunxin
After nearly 20 years away from the stage, there was nothing left for Li Cunxin to prove.
But that didn't stop the 56-year-old from coming out of retirement late in the year for a one-off performance of The Nutcracker with the Queensland Ballet.
The return was a magical night for "Mao's Last Dancer", who was joined on stage by his wife, Mary McKendry.
AFLW Brisbane Lions
An unbeaten season may've come undone at the final hurdle, but no-one can deny the impact made by the women's Lions team in its first year.
The inaugural AFL Women's Premiership was played on the Gold Coast back in March in front of 15,610 fans.
It all came down to a goal — with Adelaide Crows winning 4.11 (35) to 4.5 (29).
Still, the win cemented the Lions as a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.
Brett Forte
One of Queensland's finest lost his life in the line of duty this year.
Senior Constable Brett Forte was shot dead in late May when a gunman opened fire on police officers in the Lockyer Valley.
The gunman was eventually shot dead in a stand off with officers.
Senior Constable Forte was remembered as a loving husband to his wife and father to his three children.
Hamish Finlayson
These app developers just keep getting younger and younger.
This year 12-year-old Hamish Finlayson showed off his app ASD and Me to a crowd of investors and fellow entrepreneurs at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India.
The app is a tool to educate people about autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The theory behind the app is that by repeating coping strategies in a game setting, people with autism will be better equipped to cope in real life situations.
Hamish said working on the app had also helped him manage his condition.
Troy Szczurkowski
Photo:
Mr Szczurkowski crossed snow and glaciers by fat bike and foot. (Supplied: Troy Szczurkowski)
The world's longest winter ultramarathon was no match for this Brisbane bike mechanic.
Back in February, Troy Szczurkowski crossed snow and glaciers by fat bike and foot as part of the 1,610-kilometre Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska.
He was one of only a handful to finish this year's event.
Shayne Barwick
Back in January Shayne Barwick endured blistering sun and heavy rain of outback Queensland to set the world record for the longest continuous game of lawn bowls.
The Cloncurry Bowls Club manager played for 73 hours to raise $20,000 for a verandah over his club's disability ramp
He celebrated his marathon effort with a beer and a cigar.
Onya, Shayne.
Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellan
You may not recognise their names, but you'll remember this photo.
Paramedics Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellan melted hearts around the world when they took this picture — showing Mr Cooper standing by a female palliative patient in a stretcher looking out over the water at Hervey Bay.
Their good deed was posted on the Queensland Ambulance Service Facebook page back in November where it was shared more than 24,000 times and liked by close to 50,000 people.
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