A PHOTOGRAPH of the Invincibles cricket team that hangs in the principal's office at Cobden Technical School is probably an ironic reminder for Peter Rock that life is anything but easy.

Mr Rock, who turned 50 last week, is back behind his desk after a virus left him physically and mentally drained for the last two years.

His improvement was dealt a late blow last month with the death of his 82-year-old mother, Brenda, after a short illness.

``For a while I wasn't sure if this, or many other things, would even happen again,'' Mr Rock wrote in the school's newsletter on his return.

``Thankfully, I've been given another opportunity and I plan to make the absolute most of it in every sphere of my life.''

In mid-2006, Mr Rock was diagnosed with a ``non-specific virus'' and was hospitalised after suffering from a major infection and a severe bout of pneumonia.

``I remember I thought I was going to die.''

He returned to school in term four but knew he still ``wasn't quite right''.

``I put my family through so much. They were hurting seeing me not well but I struggled through it.''

It was not until Mr Rock and his wife, Nicole, took long-service leave last year, and went to Queensland with their two children, Taylor, 14, and Jackson 11, that the seriousness of his illness became apparent.

``Immediately when I got there, I just fell in a heap.''

He returned to school hoping he would improve but only lasted two weeks.

His body was completely exhausted and doctors compared his condition to post-traumatic stress disorder.

``From mid-November through to mid-February I really didn't think I had much of a future.

``I don't mean I thought I was going to die but I wouldn't be able to do what I had been able to do before.''

Mr Rock had been a regular fan of exercise (he placed 23rd on handicap in the 2003 Murray River Marathon) and the illness had left him debilitated.

``I put on 20 kilograms. I was the blimp,'' he laughs.

Walking during his recovery helped him to shed half that weight and he is now looking forward to resuming volleyball and perhaps even making a comeback with the Cobden B-grade cricketers next season.

Mr Rock's positive attitude is even more remarkable given the fact he was born with mild cerebral palsy, leaving him with a ``distinctive'' walking style that noticeably affects his right leg.

``When I was a kid the thought was that pretty much by the time I was 40 I would be wheelchair-bound.

``I didn't walk until I was over three and then mum and dad used to talk about the fact that I never walked. I ran. It was just easier and I'd stop at a wall.

``I still have the massive scars all over myself. They just let me go. I was incredibly lucky that they didn't put me in cotton wool.''

Doctors often talked about operating or fitting calipers to straighten his leg, but his parents refused to take their advice.

``Dad used to come home after working hard all day and push me around and make me do things.

``As I started to grow, strength developed in my legs.''

``I always made an absolute commitment that I would be fit and healthy and keep mobile.''

As a child his mother would take him to the Royal Children's Hospital several times a week for check-ups.

Mr Rock still visits the hospital as part of its research into cerebral palsy and has mentored children.

He said the dedication and efforts of his parents allowed him to do anything he wanted to as a child.

He was particularly devastated, therefore, when his mother fell and hit her head last month.

She was rushed to hospital with bleeding to the brain.

``As it turns out, and we didn't know, she had very, very advanced myeloma - cancer of the bone.''

The Rock family of five children, five grandchildren and one tiny great-grandchild, had gathered only seven weeks earlier to celebrate Mr Rock's father Lloyd's 85th birthday.

``It was probably the best and worst of times,'' Mr Rock remembered.

``It was just amazing to be there as my mum passed away.

``It was just heart-wrenching but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.''

Mr Rock now realises the experience of the last two years has given him a new lease on life.

``I've been really lucky. I'd probably become a bit besotted with work and school.

``It's obviously such a very important part of my life and I'm really working hard to get the balance right.

``My kids - at the age they are - I want to make sure I'm there for them and I want to make sure I don't look back and regret anything.''