Incredible Elijah has conquered Heartbreak Hill four times to help give sick and injured kids the same fighting chance he received in the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.

After experiencing a near-fatal sky diving accident that caused a severe traumatic brain injury, several fractures, a broken pelvis and a kidney and liver laceration - Elijah knows what a privilege it is to cross that finish line at Bondi Beach.

Only three months after completing City2Surf 2015 in under an hour, and placing in the top 20 for his age group, Elijah endured his unimaginable accident. He was airlifted to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in a critical condition where doctors worked around-the-clock to save his life.  

For six-and-a-half weeks Elijah was in intensive care. He then spent six months on the ward as an inpatient and the remainder of the year as an outpatient, learning to talk, eat and walk again.

Elijah says, “My accident had a major impact on my life. Overnight, I went from a normal, care-free athletic boy to someone who lost it all and had to learn how to do everything again.’’

If it wasn’t for Elijah’s commitment and dedication to his recovery, he may not be where he is today. Elijah says, “If you’re not willing to give 110%, there’s no point in you being there.”

It’s this positive outlook and the army of loving supporters who stand beside Elijah that continues to push him to achieve the next milestone almost nine years on.

Joey, a Manager at Change Fitness, is one of those cheerleaders. Joey and Elijah met at the gym and instantly got along. When Joey heard Elijah’s story, he vowed to help him cross that finish line until he was able to run it again.

Away from the floor mats and weights, the duo are the best of mates.

“Elijah is such an inspiration. He has taught me so much about the power of determination and a positive mindset,’’ says Joey.

In 2019, Joey pushed Elijah’s wheelchair 14km from Sydney CBD to Bondi Beach and helped him take those final few steps over the finish line.

Four years later, the duo swapped spots, with Elijah using the wheelchair as a walker and pushing Joey the last 4 kms!

Now, Elijah and Joey have set a new goal for City2Surf on Sunday 11 August 2024. Elijah is aiming to push Joey for an amazing 6kms!

Step-by-step and metre-by-metre, Elijah is taking strides towards his dream of walking the full 14km course, and then running it. Joey is determined to get him there!

This year's City2Surf is only a few weeks away. Once-again Joey and Elijah will be hitting the streets of Sydney to raise vital funds for SCHF. 

To show Elijah and Joey your support, donate to their fundraising page today.