Elijah's journey
Elijah is 23 years old and like many young people has big dreams. He wants to be a motivational speaker who travels the world and owns his own sneaker store. Elijah is the one in 45 Australian’s living with a brain injury, yet refused to let that halt his plans.
Elijah’s accident
In 2015, at 14-years-old, Elijah spontaneously went skydiving from 15,000 feet. Yet, a freak accident during his dive caused a serious accident which was fatal for Elijah’s heroic instructor and saw Elijah suffer multiple injuries, including a life-long brain injury.
“I decided to skip little athletics that day so I could go watch my cousin skydive for his birthday. Then, when we were there, I got talked into it. One thing led to the next, you know, and then I’m all suited up ready to jump out of a plane,” said Elijah.
“10 minutes of joy, ended in years of rehab.”
“The doctors didn’t expect me to survive the first 48 hours. They didn’t expect me to be talking, walking, and eating – definitely not to be as good as I am now.”
“I don’t remember anything from about 3 months before my accident. I will never get that memory back. The whole year I was in hospital is kind of a blur for me. I don’t really know what happened. I only remember the big stuff, like my family and friends coming and going.”
Inspiring others with his story
Since Elijah’s brain injury he’s enjoyed motivational speaking.
“I say my favourite speech to date, has to be my first speech. I spoke at the year 6 graduation of my primary school. So, they would have been in kindergarten when I was in year 6. So, I did that speech and I felt like I just found what I loved. That’s the feeling I wanted for the rest of my life.”
Now, Elijah is seeking as many opportunities as he can to share his story.
“I spoke on the field of the newly built Bankwest Stadium a few years ago for Ronald McDonald House. When I was in rehab at Westmead Children’s Hospital, they were my home away from home. When I spoke there, it felt like my way of giving back to them for everything they did for me,” said Elijah.
A dream to run again
It’s now been 10 years since his accident, and he’s determined to continue his recovery to get back to his love of running.
“Before my accident, I was pretty big into running. I represented the state in cross country at Nationals. I made the state team for the 3000-metre athletics event. And I was getting ready to try and make it to the 3000-metre steeplechase as well,” said Elijah.
“I would train and run 6 days a week. It was a bit intense. The goal now is to get back to running.”
Elijah is still working his way back to running through his rehab. To keep him going he’s tattooed his favourite mantra on his thigh ‘to stand, walk, run’ to remind him of his goal.
