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Grant

In February of 2000 I was surfing in the South West of WA when my life changed forever. I was surfing with my good friend, Taj Burrows when I was thrown from my board, dislocating a bone in my neck. I had immediate spinal damage and within 15 seconds lost complete use of my arms and legs.

After a three and a half month rehabilitation program I left Royal Perth Hospital, classed as an incomplete quadriplegic. I cannot use any muscles from the chest down and have some use of my hands. Needless to say I use a wheelchair every day of my life.

I chose to pursue sport in order to help my return to an independent life and chose wheelchair rugby a.k.a. murderball. In 2001, around 12 months after first starting the sport, I was selected in the Australian Wheelchair Rugby team and have been a member of the team ever since. Wheelchair rugby, unfortunately, is not a cheap sport, costing around $8000 - $10 000 a year to play. I do not earn money from the sport, it costs me money to play. I do not receive sponsorship or finding to play (aside from funding for flights when I represent Australia). The $8000 - $10 000 a year figure only accounts for my equipment costs, which I am solely responsible for.

I represented Australia at the 2004 Athens Paralympic games and have recently been selected in the team to compete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. I have travelled around the globe playing for Australia at many tournaments. I have made many sacrifices like most elite athletes over the years for my sport, the largest being in June of 2005.

I was in the USA in January of 2006 when, only two days into competition, I received news that my grandmother had passed away. I had no way of getting home in time for the funeral and had to carry on competing as if nothing happened. Then in June of 2006 I was in Vancouver, Canada, playing for Australia when I received news that my only living grandparent (my mother’s mum) had passed away, this time with 3 days remaining of competition. Whilst in transit, returning from Vancouver for another competition in Brisbane, I received a phone call from my mum informing me that my uncle (my mother’s brother) had also passed away. As you can imagine this was a very tough time for me but I carried on competing in Brisbane as I had made the commitment.

I have had an opportunity to purchase a 1968 Mercedes Benz. The Mercedes had been out in the weather and not driven for many years. It was full of rust in the door sills, had a rough running engine but the interior was in reasonable condition (besides the carpet). I purchased it with high hopes of one day giving it a makeover.

However with the huge amount of money I have spent on getting and keeping myself at the pinnacle of my sport and representing my country, getting the car back to a reliable, safe, driveable state seems like only a dream as I cannot afford great sums of money to pay mechanics, spray painters and upholsterers.

I have done all this work to the car on my own, without assistance and I am very proud of that fact. However, as I have come to think of the project, I have come to realize how many things seem physically impossible to me (without having to build large scale solutions such as hydraulic lifts). This is where I am asking for your help. I could probably prepare and spray paint most of the car myself however in hard to reach areas (such as the roof or the middle of the bonnet or the engine bay) this would be very difficult indeed.

I might sound like a dreamer and crazed however it was my dream to make the 2004 and 2008 Paralympic teams and I made it happen. I will do whatever it takes.

Grant Boxall
2004 Athens Paralympian
2008 Beijing Paralympian