“Can’t” is a word that doesn’t exist in Casey Brady’s vocabulary.
The 31-year-old former motocross champion spends hours every day proving those who tell her she can’t wrong.
Brady was left paralysed from her lower chest down after a motocross accident in Taupō in June 2017. After suffering a spinal cord injury, specialists informed Brady that she would never walk again.
Up the road from where she grew up, Brady still lives a rural life in Te Puke.
“I grew up with three sisters, so we were always busy making huts and running around the farm, being kids.”
And when she’s not in the paddock, she can be found pumping iron and encouraging her clients to give it their all at her gym.
“I honestly love this place. Coming to work is my happy place,” Brady said.
‘A family sport’
It’s a full life, and being busy is something Brady does best. She’s continually on the move, which started young with a foray into motocross.
“We got into motocross. We used to do sports like that every weekend; we played hockey — all the normal kid’s stuff.
“I raced with my sisters, so it was like a family thing. We’d go to events, and we’d all work together. It was cool. The whole family would go. [Motocross] is like a family community, a family sport.”
Brady’s life was full speed on the track, too. She was winning motocross competitions to compete nationally.
At age 24, life took an irreversible turn.
“It was a normal race day like we always had at Taupō, and I always had a bad feeling about this weekend. [It] must have been the second lap of practice. I went over a jump, straight over the bars, and landed on my head.”
‘I didn’t move’
Brady broke her T4 vertebrae and now lives with a complete spinal cord injury.
“When I came around, I touched my stomach and instantly knew. I didn’t move. I just knew that something really bad was wrong.
“Everything changed. My whole life changed. Job-wise, house-wise. You break your back, [and you’re] in hospital for four months.”
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Brady fronted up with determination.
“I found a new purpose in life,” she said.
Seven years after her injury, Brady now has her own gym, where she spends hours each day rehabbing with the help of exercise physiologist Aaron Balsom.
“With her level of injury, she shouldn’t have that level of muscle tone or strength in her legs,” he said.
Brady’s journey takes more than physical strength; it’s also psychological, said Balsom.
“There’s a lot of people saying you can’t do it, it’s not possible. To have the mental strength to say, ‘No, I want to do it’ is pretty cool.”
Brady’s end goal is to walk again.
“I don’t care how I look walking, but I want to be able to stand up and get from A to B. I want to be able to go for a bush walk or walk to the beach.”
She will now rely on her willpower in perhaps her most challenging role yet. Brady has just welcomed her first child via surrogate.
“I’m so excited. Bring it on. I’m pumped,” Brady shared.
Reflecting on her journey, Brady said, “I couldn’t even sit up seven years ago. It seems like ages ago. I’m sure we’ll figure out a baby. We’ll figure it out.
“To be honest, I love my direction. I love my life as much as I hate not walking. My goal is to walk, and that’s all I want. But I love everything else.”
Casey Brady’s story is featured in the documentary series Unbreakable, which is now available to stream on TVNZ+
