Six years ago, a violent attack changed Aubrey Barrows’ life forever.

Brutally assaulted with a brick and a knife while travelling between Ermelo and Piet Retief, Aubrey spent a month in a coma, reports Middelburg Observer.

The near-fatal hijacking left him with permanent cognitive delays and chronic headaches, forcing him to abandon his regular career.

Aubrey took up work as a car guard on Meyer Street, relying on a monthly disability grant to cover basic living expenses.

A chance encounter with a kind stranger, who offered him a crash course in wire crafting, opened a new chapter in his life, and he picked up the trade in a matter of hours.

By April, he was producing intricate, fully functional miniature windmills using discarded drink cans.

“Each piece represents a hard-fought victory over a brutal past,” he said, mentioning his creations are more than decorative garden pieces.

He said he uses hand-cut pieces from the cans, assembled using wire bought with the help of his brother, and shaped with a specialised tool passed down by his father, making sure each windmill is carefully engineered to spin and accurately indicate wind direction.

Finishing each unit with a sleek coat of spray paint, Aubrey normally spends about one day completing a single piece.

Beyond generating a sustainable income, the craft serves a vital therapeutic purpose.

“The fine motor skills and intense focus required to build each piece actively help my brain heal and recover from trauma,” he explained.

Selling the windmills for R100 each, Aubrey is working towards a larger goal of saving enough money to eventually buy his own car and secure his independence.

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