On Tuesday 3rd of February Pat was in a serious road accident while he was cycling near Marino, SA. Pat was on a typical morning ride when a car coming in the opposite direction turned without warning in front of him. It was a huge crash and has left him with many injuries including a life-changing spinal injury. Pat has been in ICU for a week and continues to fight for his recovery in hospital. While the full extent of his injuries is unknown, there is clearly a long road of rehabilitation in front of him.

For Pat, his wife Georgie and their families, this has been a devastating shock, all in the blink of an eye. Everyone who knows Pat will be aware of his mental and physical fortitude, his innate resilience and, in the most positive way, his stubbornness - all of which will help him through the challenging journey ahead. He is a fighter with a steely determination to overcome adversity and hard times.

Pat is a deeply loved husband, son, brother and uncle, and admired by his in-laws, extended families and numerous friends. As a junior athlete he represented his country in track cycling at the Oceania Games. He is a veteran with nearly a decade of service in the Australian Army, including a tour of Afghanistan. He is an Ironman, marathon runner and an athlete who loves training, fitness and finding the limits of his capacities. If he hadn’t been in such good shape, the outcome of this would have been much worse. Pat is pursuing academic study in sports science at Adelaide University, and practising his craft working at Peaq Performance, Norwood Football Club and the South Australian Sports Institute - all of which will be impacted in ways that are hard to predict.

We are fundraising on behalf of Pat and his wife Georgie, to support his journey to recovery and beyond. This could be for treatment, transport, equipment – whatever is required on their tough path ahead.