Craig’s story: Overcoming adversity to lead an action-packed life

There’s not much Craig Harrington hasn’t tried in a remarkable life.

Skiing, martial arts, kick boxing, ice hockey, motorcycle racing, BMX, trail riding, wheelchair basketball, kayaking, white water rafting, rock climbing, drumming, dancing, golf – he’s given it all a go.

His latest passion is CrossFit – a high-intensity fitness regimen. He’s travelled overseas several times to compete in international events.

Even more impressive is that he’s done it all while missing a key body part.

At just 15-years-old, Craig lost his lower right leg in a motorbike accident.

He and a mate were riding a bike together when they had a head-on collision with a bus. Craig’s foot clipped the bus as he jumped from the bike, shattering most of the bones.

The damage was so bad his leg had to be amputated just below the knee.

But, with lifelong support from ACC and a determined attitude, Craig has refused to let that hold him back. He’s packed far more into his life than most people who haven’t gone through the same adversity.

“I don’t want to be a sedentary old man,” he says.

“I’m 48-years-old and I’m proud of my mobility. When you look around at other people my age, I’m already unusual – even if I had two legs.

“And I’m proud of that because I work really hard to stay active. I want to be fit and healthy as long as I can for myself and my family.”

Craig Harrington with wife Ana and their two children, Soren and Greta.

Coming to terms with a new life

Competing at an international CrossFit event was far from Craig’s mind as he lay in a hospital bed back in 1990.

He was coming to terms with losing a limb, and what that would mean for his future.

“My first thought was, ‘Can I go surfing again?’ Then it was, ‘Will girls still like me?’ I think that’s the normal thing any boy that age is worried about,” he says with a laugh.

But it didn’t take long for reality to sink in.

“You mourn, you’re missing a body part, there’s a piece of you that’s gone. So I went through a lot of that process and that was important for me to do,” he says.

“And then I would go and challenge myself. I wanted to join in, I wanted to do the stuff I used to do. I couldn’t see any reason why I couldn’t.”

ACC makes active lifestyle possible

Craig has certainly challenged himself since then.

But he says none of his action-packed life would be possible without the support of ACC.

We’ve helped with medical costs, home modifications, prosthetic limbs and transport, such as funding the purchase of an e-bike.

“ACC have been great,” he says.

“In the background, they’ve paid for my recovery, my limbs, all of that stuff over the years.

“They were awesome from the start. They helped put me in a car and get my driver’s license, which was a massive boost up at the time. It allowed me a sense of freedom.”

More recently, the e-bike has been another game changer.

“Getting that bike has bloomed into way more than I ever expected of just riding around the neighbourhood with my son,” Craig says.

“I go on holiday and do hundreds of kilometres around the hills at the adventure parks. This is absolutely stuff that I never would have considered.”

‘Nothing ever stands in his way’

With Craig living such an active life, many people don’t even realise he has a disability.

When he first met wife Ana, it took several dates before she found out.

“I thought he was joking when he told me,” she laughs.

The couple live in Christchurch with their two children and Ana says her husband is an inspiration.

“He just gives anything a go, nothing ever stands in his way,” she says.

“It’s taught me a lot – it’s pushed me to try new things as well.”

An inspiration to gym goers

Craig is also an inspirational figure at the X-Force CrossFit gym, where he works out several days a week and also passes on his knowledge as a coach.

“It motivates a lot of people, and removes barriers for them as well,” says Nathan ‘Badger’ Atkins, who runs the gym and coaches Craig.

“They see Craig’s able to do a bunch of stuff they didn’t think they were capable of doing.

“They go, ‘Wow, if this guy can get through those hurdles, and get to this standard, there’s nothing that should be holding the rest of us back’.”

Craig recently travelled to the United States for the prestigious WheelWod Games, the world's pinnacle event for adaptive fitness. He beat some of the best athletes in the world to come first in the 'lower extremity, two points of contact' division. 

Giving back to the community

Away from the gym, Craig is giving back to the amputee community. He works for the artificial limb service, Peke Waihanga, as a prosthetic technician.

“We’re basically the guys that make the limbs,” he explains. “I’m the workshop lead so my job is to run the workshop and liaise with all the other departments.”

It’s not a public-facing role but, due to his background and inspirational nature, Craig is often asked to come out of the workshop and offer some words of wisdom.

“They’ll ask me to come and talk to an amputee, especially young men,” he says.

“It gives them the opportunity to use me as a bit of a sounding board and feel confident about the future. I’ll tell them, ‘It’s not over, not even close. In fact, it’s only just beginning and you’ll be surprised where you’ll end up’.”

Making the most of your situation

Craig has some inspirational advice for anyone who may be struggling with a disability – or facing any other challenge in life.

“Face it head on. Don’t bury it under the carpet, don’t ignore it. Deal with it at the time, do everything you can to make friends with your new life,” he says.

“Like any new life, it’s going to have some restrictions. But it’s also going to have some new opportunities you may never have had the ability or the chance to experience.

“Get in there and make the most of it.”