TOTARA PARK

Here is our photo of the year and the story behind that photo.

It has been such a tough year and for some more than others.

Our own little company, Brand New Day, the producers of XRACE weren’t immune to the struggles – announcing event postponement after postponement.

We dealt with over a thousand queries -having never been in a situation like this before we, got some things right and some things wrong – we did our best.

But no matter how tough we had it; we knew there was always someone out there doing it tougher again - like the mum in this photo, struggling with her son, Kiran through the sack race.

It is such a joyous photo with a back story that is almost unbelievable.

Last year, this beautiful boy in the photo was struck down terribly with what in layman’s terms could be described as faulty wiring - in his brain.

Mum (pictured), was in the advanced stages of pregnancy with their fourth son. Her family were called in and told that brain surgery was needed immediately - the survival rate was only 50-50.

I understand that the doctors that rallied round this family were amazing and while he pulled through, he wasn’t in great shape.

He now had to learn to walk again and regain motion to the right side of his body.

Every day, this mum drove from the south over the bridge to the north - to fearlessly work with her son’s rehabilitation.

I wish this is where the story ended but it isn’t.

Mum, almost at full term collapses herself with heart issues and is rushed to hospital.

She recovers. Gives birth and what does any mum do in this situation? She goes straight back into getting her boy walking again.

With a newborn.

With two other sons.

I wish this is where the story ends but it isn’t.

Covid hits.

Her husband was an airline pilot and loses his job.

He takes on not one job but two trying to make ends meet.

Finally, it is the day of this photo for this XRACE mad family and I cannot believe what I’m seeing – hubbie has his arm in a cast.

He has a broken elbow from a clumsy fall at his second job.

This just cannot be happening.

I do not recall a family having been through so much in such a short frame of time.

They have faced it all - they have perspective like no one else does and here she is, with her son who is now walking again, with her husband and his broken elbow, by her side doing the XRACE.

Her name is Sharni and she is inspiration for us all.