Tommy Quick is pretty inspirational - despite some quite significant challenges thrown his way, he still finds the strength to help other people, and to ride 9000km around Australia.
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At just 12-years-old, Tommy had a life-changing stroke, which has impacted him physically and affected his communication. It hasn't stopped him though, from striving to achieve great things, like becoming the to be the first person in Australia to ride a recumbent trike to the four most extreme points of Australia's mainland.
Over the next few months, Tommy, 29, will ride as far north as Cape York, east to Byron Bay, south to Wilson's Promontory and far west to Steep Point, with the aim of raising $1 million for the Stroke Foundation, and to spread awareness of the impact of stroke in young people.
"I'm passionate about social inclusion and I plan on breaking down some common misconceptions about disability. I want people to know that stroke can happen to anyone, at any time."
In November last year, while Tommy was 3638km into his ride, he was hit by a car in South Australia.
"My injuries were severe, and the recovery hasn't been easy. Broken bones hurt like hell, but unlike the brain they are faster to heal," Tommy said. "My parents saw the whole crash unfold, Mum actually thought I was dead, it was very confronting for them."
After more than a year out of the saddle, and months of gruelling rehab to repair a shattered pelvis, displaced sacrum and broken leg, Tommy is back on the recumbent trike and resuming his epic pedalling challenge.
Tommy has a message that might resonate with anyone who has been through a life-changing event - "You've got to take time to grieve, you don't always have to be resilient."
Stroke Foundation Executive Director, Marketing, John De Rango, said evidence showed the overall incidence of stroke in Australia has been declining, but stroke incidence rates in young people of working age have been increasing.
He said it was important to recognise the main signs of stroke, to learn the F.A.S.T acronym (Face. Arms. Speech. Time), and to know when to call an ambulance, because stroke can strike at any age.
