When Jarred Langmead went flying off his mountain bike onto his head, he lay on the ground unable to move or breathe. He thought he wouldn't live to see his 18th birthday.
Staring into the face of death and possible quadriplegia, Jarred is on the road to recovery and is now walking again. His recovery has encouraged everyone around him.
"I was expecting to die," Jarred says, putting the improvement down to God working a "slow motion' miracle on his wounded body.
"I wish I could have had a quick fix," he admits. "But my struggles have helped me to grow as a Christian and trust God. A lot of people have been affected by my experience."
Jarred is now going home on weekends from the Prince of Wales hospital in Randwick.
He is determined to finish school and fulfill his ambition to become a physiotherapist.
He shares his faith with other young spinal patients and has regular pastoral contact with Anglicare chaplains, particularly Stuart Adamson, a minister at St John's, Maroubra.
An experienced mountain biker, Jarred was just months from finishing high school on March 18 when the accident occurred.
The Langmead family are long-term members of Engadine Anglican Church and are thankful for the love and care from their church family and the chaplaincy team who have been with them since day one.
Wendy, Jarred's mum, says the family could not have coped as well as they did without their support.
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