The quadriplegic farmer who defied the odds

Sam Bailey grew up on a property near Croppa Creek, North West NSW, and dreamt of spending his life on the land. But at only 19 years of age, he suffered severe spinal injuries in a car accident.

He was left a C6/C7 quadriplegic. He's paralysed from the chest down with only limited use of his arms and hands, plus an inability to regulate his body temperature.

The medical experts suggested he might no longer be able to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a farmer but he defied the odds by coming home to the family farm proving everyone wrong.

Those early days weren't easy and the one thing that saved Sam's sanity was a Honda Odyssey. It allowed him to get away from the wheelchair for the first time and got him thinking about mobility around the farm.

Despite early reservations, he tried a four wheel motor bike and it was a huge success. In effect it became his 'legs' on the property and taught him a valuable lesson to try everything, even if it seemed impossible. (Sam is pictured below on the four wheel bike with his dogs Jaffa and Minty).

He learnt to drive a car again using hand controls, travelled overseas and even tried snow skiing using a sitski.

Eventually Sam devised a hoist to lift him into the farm machinery and converted tractors, the harvester, front end loader and dozer so he could drive them. It was this achievement that finally made him feel like a vital part of the team on the farm again.

As if he hadn't already accomplished enough he 'climbed' his very own Mount Kosciusko when he learnt to fly an ultralight aircraft. It taught Sam that nothing is impossible and became a very powerful symbol because it was something he could do that thousands of others couldn't.

Only one major goal was evading him finding a life companion. That was until ABC Radio Rural Reporter Jenny Black came to interview him.

Their friendship grew into a very special relationship; and finally Sam proposed to Jenny 'live' on regional radio. The real-life proposal drew an incredible response from ABC listeners across the NSW New England North West. Callers jammed the phone lines and the fax ran out of paper.

Sam and Jenny were married in 1999 and they now help run the family farm at Croppa Creek.

Sam was featured on ABC TV's "Australian Story" in 2000, and again in follow-up stories in 2004 and the ten year reunion program in 2006.

His story is now available in book form. 'Head Over Heels - A story of tragedy, triumph and romance in the Australian bush' was published in April 2006 by ABC Books and is now a best seller. (Buy a copy of Sam's book).

Sam's story continues to inspire people across Australia. It delivers powerful messages about the need to try everything, that anything is possible and how to cope when things don't go according to plan.

His story proves 'you don't need wings to fly' and has the ability to take readers on an incredible journey. He is helping others change the way they view their own lives forever.

Readers of 'Head Over Heels' have made comments like, "....this morning I was two hours late for work (self employed don't worry!) because I could not leave the house until I finished your inspirational book."

And, "Well, my kids are starving, they've gone off to school in un-ironed uniforms, the dogs are neglected, the flowers are all dying, haven't talked to my husband for days.....all because I've been reading your book!"

Another wrote, "I have read your book and was blown away by it ."

And, "Mate, I have just finished reading your book. That would have to be one of the most amazing books I have ever read. A very, very funny, sad, inspiring and heart warming book. It was worth every bit of the thirty dollars I paid for it."

Now Sam is pursuing a new goal. He wants to be the first quadriplegic in the world to fly a helicopter. He hopes to achieve his dream within 18 months.

Meanwhile, Sam and Jenny continue to operate a beef cattle grazing property near Warialda in the NSW north west, where they run a herd of around 150 Black Angus cows. They share their lives with two fawn and tan working kelpies, Minty and Jaffa, a cat called Lotto (pictured below) and three horses. They also spend a significant part of their time on the public speaking circuit.

Our cat Lotto....who has found a new use for an old wheelchair.