General News
15 April, 2025
Mountain dreaming
BEN Daley was only 18 when, while walking with a friend, he was hit by a motorbike driven by an underage rider. The accident left him with an acquired brain injury, unable to talk and walk.
But nearly 25 years later, Ben is fulfilling a dream of returning to his beloved sport, mountain biking riding.
“My story tells of hope, aspiration and a sense of belonging in the mountain bike community. I want to feel included and be able to interact with fellow competitors,” he wrote.
With the support of businesses and communities in Far North Queensland, Ben is now the proud owner of a custom-built adaptive mountain bike after more than a year of fundraising – assisted by his NDIS service provider, Tolga-based guardians & co.
“The community really got behind Ben,” guardians & co. founding director and support program manager Joan Schincariol said.
“And his carer, Pina Low, has been, and continues to be, the driving force in supporting Ben to source sponsors and interact with the community in sharing his dream.”
And this dream is getting bigger.
“The quadricycle was just the beginning, now he is focused on his next goal of competing, which we can
all get behind.”
Ben lives in his own home, set up as an NDIS Shared Living arrangement, with another NDIS participant after his loving parents, who now reside in Carinya Home, could no longer support him.
He has already begun preparing for his first race in Mogo, NSW, in October this year. This mountain biking event includes adaptive mountain biking for paraplegics, Joan explained.
“The training and preparation are paramount,” Joan said. “Ben’s support team are a big part of helping him achieve his goal.
“He does core training, strengthening his arms - that is where personal trainer Angela Woods and FNQ Health & Fitness come into it,” Joan said.
“We (guardians & co.) also have an e-bike that the support team and Pina takes with Ben on his trails locally, so he can practice in the quadricycle and build his speed, and progress to more challenging tracks.”
The support team and Joan’s husband Adrian (also a co-founder of guardians & co.) will all make the 2,661 km drive to the competition with Ben later this year.
For Ben, this journey heralds an exciting new phase of his life.
“Mountain biking is freedom and a closeness to nature,” he wrote. “Shared interest and shared competition offer a ladder over the usual barriers to social interaction and inclusion.”
