Andy had travelled on four of the earth's continents, but no experiences could have prepared him for the trek that lay ahead. There were no travel guides, and definitely no maps. It was to be the journey inside his very soul.

Andy was addicted to physical exercise, and could be found training for whatever event he had in his sights. Back in '92, it was the Australian Ironman triathlon, a 4km swim 180km on the bike, and then a 42km marathon. Andy had completed it earlier that same year, but 1993 was going to be better - or so he thought.

Therefore, a summer's day found him cycling at 3pm out near Point Cook. At the time, Andy was in the RAAF, and in the military personnel were allowed a limited time to take physical exercise during working hours, to keep fit for service life. That suited him perfectly.

The trip outward to his turn around point was inconsequential, and then on the way back it happened. A car, driven by someone who had admittedly been drinking, hit him from behind at about 110kmh. According to the speedo on his bike Andy was pedaling at 35kmh.

Therefore, he impacted on the road at some enormous speed, and it was then some unknown force took over - or so he cannot help but believe. A policeman was giving a mate a lift down that way, and then a paramedic was going to fetch his child from kindergarten and taking the scenic route. They stumbled across the mess that was Andy. They should not have been at that particular point, but they were. Within minutes, the air ambulance had been summoned. An air force ambulance arrived, and the paramedics went flat out to save him. No one with blood running out of their ears looks too good.

Andy was flown to the Alfred hospital where orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and all manner of medical staff did their best to keep him alive. He had both legs, an ankle, hands, shoulder blades and ribs all broken, both knees wrecked, and had to have a fasciotomy (a slicing of the muscular sheath in the calf. The option was a leg amputation - no thank you). Worst of all was the multiple brain hemorrhages Andy had suffered. It caused him to have 5 liters of blood a day by transfusion. The fight for life was helped by his fitness, as his heart rate was only 34 beats a minute. His parents were immediately flown out from the UK (to attend his expected funeral).

However, Andy did not intend to die, so instead took refuge in a coma! Finally, he was transferred to the then TAC rehabilitation centre at Glen Waverley. After 3 months Andy came out of his coma, and remembers the moment quite vividly. Who were all these people, where was he, and what were his folks doing there? In addition, why was he so thin? (Andy weighed in at 43kg and could not recommend a diet by drip feed!).

From then on, it was an out and out struggle to resurrect his life. Andy had become paralyzed down his left hand side, so all the limbs tension had to be released, and then his brain retrained to use them all correctly again. The days were spent with all manner of therapists, doing all kinds of exercises. When his leg became straight enough, Andy was fitted up with a knee brace and told he could learn to walk.

Who are they kidding he thought, he had run 6 marathons, no need to teach him how to walk. Then Andy found he could not even summon the correct neuro motor control that would allow him even to stand up!

From then on a battle ensued to learn to walk again. Moreover, what a chore it proved too. While that was progressing Andy was able to return to work, one day per week sitting in a wheelchair! Eventually he could manage a walking frame. Finally, the time came for another two operations on his battered knees. After a reconstruction and four 'new' ligaments later, Andy had to be non weight bearing for three months, then could begin the learn to walk routine again.

Meanwhile all the neurological repairs continued. Andy found he had to learn almost everything again. It was so frustrating. After one and a half years he could at last leave hospital and begin something of a normal life.

Then in May 1996, the defense forces received an exemption from the equal employment act. Therefore, to reduce expenditure, they began dismissing any personnel who had a medical history. As he had expected, Andy opened a letter to read his services were no longer required. So another chapter in his life was about to begin.

His best option was to finish his university degree. He had been studying off campus, so transferred to on campus. That meant with the credit points already earned he would only have to do two years to finish. After the first year, Andy had completed his majors, and it was a seemingly simple procedure to finish. The prognosis when he was first knocked over was for him to sit in a wheelchair and dribble for the rest of his days. It was a very self-satisfied person who was called out to receive his degree!

Later on Andy was featured on Channel Nine's 'Good Medicine' programme, from which occurred a number of public speaking engagements. The rehabilitation team had made a video recording of Andy from day one, so once it was professionally edited, Andy is able to use it as a forceful part of his presentation. Andy continues to use the experience gained from them to do more speaking and supplement his income.