In the second edition of 6PR Afternoons‘ Backstories, the life and times of one of WA’s favourite and most respected football players goes under the microscope.

Peter Bell – the biological son of a Korean mother and Native American father – was raised in Kojonup by an adoptive family and managed to overcome breaking his leg twice, at age 13 and 14, before recovering and eventually beginning his football career.

“I think my mum had a look at how my leg was set, because she was a vet,” Mr Bell said.

“So she decided, ‘that’s not how I would set it’, so we went up to the city and had it re-broken, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is.”

Press PLAY to hear Part One of Peter Bell’s life journey

Peter Bell’s career didn’t stay on the incline once he was signed; he struggled through injury, full-time study of law and being delisted before he found success.

An important aspect of Mr Bell’s life journey which is sometimes overshadowed by his playing career is reconnection with his biological mother in his 20’s, towards the middle of his AFL career.

“It’s one of those sort of things you think about doing every day, but I didn’t have the courage to do it,” he said.

“Thankfully my birth-mother did have the courage, and she managed to track me down.”

Press PLAY to hear about Peter Bell’s reconnection with his mother, and what it means for him as a father