Jayden’s story: Adrenaline junkie targets Paralympics after life-changing injury
Video transcript for Jayden Glentworth
Audio: Rock guitar music
Visual: Sit ski racer Jayden Glentworth carves his way down the slopes at Cardrona Ski Field in the bright sunshine.
Visual: Wide shot. A young man, Jayden Glentworth, sits in his wheelchair on the banks of a beautiful lake with snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
My name is Jayden Glentworth. I'm 19. I'm a para ski racer as well as para mountain biker and General Muppet.
Audio: gentle acoustic guitar music
Visual: Jayden speaks to camera as he casually wheels his way along a gravel track beside the lake.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
I broke my back and was four years ago and a mountain biking accident in Palmerston North, up the Arapuke Forest.
Visual: Jayden back on the riverbank. Mid shot.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
I don't actually know what exactly happened. I don't fully remember, but ended up crashing, um, having a T12 L1 burst fracture dislocation, is the official word, in my back.
Visual: Photograph of Jayden securely lying on a stretcher beside a rescue helicopter with ambulance officers caring for him, followed by a close up of Jayden on the stretcher inside the helicopter.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
I got a helicoptered down straight to the Burwood Spinal unit in Christchurch,
Visual: Jayden smiling in hospital bed with parents by his side.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
where I stayed for three months and recovery.
Visual: Jayden wheeling along the gravel track beside the lake.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Um, spent a lot of time with physios, occupational therapists and doctors, nurses, all that sort of thing. To adjust to a new life in a wheelchair.
Visual: Jayden lakeside. Mid shot.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Yeah, ACC is pivotal. You know, they, um. They do everything for people with life changing injuries like me, you know, from supporting you in your day to day lives, you know, getting you back up moving, getting you back to work, getting you in a vehicle, getting you back to sport, getting you back to the quality of life that you had prior, or as close as, to prior to injury. Yeah.
Visual: Jayden wheeling along the banks of the lake, close to the water.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Audio: relaxed funky music
When you have a spinal cord injury, you know, does seem like your whole life gets ripped away from you. But, um, you know, there is plenty of opportunities out there and it might just take asking around or seeking out the right people that is always there, people to help you to get back into it, if that's trialling equipment, borrowing someone else's stuff or going to a ‘give it a go weekend’, you know, it's really important to take those opportunities and help you get back to your quality of life, you know, that you had prior to your injury or even just to try something new.
Visual: Jayden wheeling his way home, up a driveway with the lake in the background.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
See how nice it is? Wanaka is the most beautiful place in the world – for sure.
Visual: Jayden exits the front door of his house which leads onto the carport his black hatcback car is parked. He reaches to open the door and sits in the driver's seat, facing the camera with the door open.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
So this is all funded by ACC to help me get back out driving.
Visual: Jayden demonstrates the levers on the side of the steering wheels that function as pedals would in a standard car.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
I push in to break and I push down to accelerate. I've also indicators nice and handily on the buttons here, as well as the spinner, as I've only got one hand on the wheel most of the time. Means I can go around corners like that.
Visual: Jayden is filmed driving his car in Wanaka, from the passenger’s seat beside him.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
We’re in business.
In Burwood they had an instructor come down and teach me how to drive on hand controls. I actually got my learner's licence. Took a day off from rehab and went into the AA and got my learner's licence.
Visual: Jaden is unloading the back of his black hatchback in the carpark of Cardrona Alpine Resort. He is helped by an able-bodied friend who passes Jayden the para-ski equipment. Jayden wheels his way around to the snow-covered area by a building to get onto his para ski. There are mountains and ski lifts in the background. They are both wearing ski jackets and pants.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
I'm a part of the Cardrona's Para Alpine Race Team. In the training programme we're in, there's five people. That changes due to injuries and availability.
Visual: Jayden faces the camera, sitting on his para ski with ‘outrigger’ ski poles in both hands. He is wearing a helmet and goggles.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Audio: Rock guitar music
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
We'll head off then.
Visual: Jayden skis down a mountain road and onto the ski run. He demonstrates how he rides a ski lift while using a sit ski.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
On my sit ski, which is a Tessier I've got a really good lift mechanism which I flick a switch and it allows the sit ski to telescope up and the chairlift basically comes under me just like any other normal skier would stand up and the chair lift would slip under me sit down on it and away I go.
Visual: Wide shot of Jayden on chair lift with mountains in background. It is an overcast day.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
And it doesn't mean I don't have accidents, you know. I've ended up in the pit many times and fallen off and hurt myself but that's just part of it, you know.
Visual: Jayden snakes his way down the ski run towards the camera, avoiding other skiers along the way. He stops in front of the camera.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Incredibly freeing you know. I can ski just as well and better than a lot of able-bodied people, you know, it really levels the playing field a little bit. End goal is to eventually go to a Paralympics but we'll see how that goes. Have fun while training and have fun while doing it.
Visual: Jayden continues skiing down the hill.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Alright, here we are, cruising.
Visual: Back at the car. Jaydn and his friend pack their gear away.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
It turned into a nice day. I don't understand it aye.
Transcript: VOICE OF FRIEND
Nice bro, it was so miserable going on the lift there. Yeah. It was so cold.
Visual: Inside the car. Jayden driving.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Audio: relaxed funky music
Here we are back home.
Visual: Jayden reverses his car into the carport in front of the house.
Visual: Close up shots of parts of an electric mountain trike. The trike is black and green with two front wheels and one at the rear.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
This is my Bowhead Reach. It's the trike I used to get back mountain biking with my mates.
Visual: Jayden positions his wheelchair next to the bike to point out various features.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Incredibly well designed. It's got full suspension throughout front and back. It's got a really powerful electric motor that runs off the throttle. Big battery. And yeah, it's comfortable and gets me out in the hills doing jumps and going fast. Yeah.
Visual: The camera follows Jayden as he wheels through his house and out into the backyard via glass doors. He makes his way across the patio, the lawn, then waits for a 4WD to pass, crosses the road, and wheelies down the grass slope towards the banks of Lake Wanaka. The low morning sun shines through the trees.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
It is rough and it is probably the biggest challenge you'll face in your life. Well, one of them. So all you can do is, you know, make the most every opportunity you get.
Visual: Jayden faces the camera with the lake and mountains in the background.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
You know, if you get given an opportunity to try something, if you want to try skiing, you know, you can do it. If you want to try, borrow a trike you can get out and do it.
Transcript: VOICE OF JAYDEN GLENTWORTH
Trial some equipment and, you know, make the best out of a situation. Yeah.
Visual: Fade to Blue
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Text: Learn more at acc.co.nz
Speeding down mountains has been a long-time passion for 19-year-old Para athlete Jayden Glentworth. He’s always been drawn to adrenaline-pumping sports, but it was just this type of activity that changed his life forever.
Four years ago, Jayden was mountain biking with mates in the Arapuke Forest outside Palmerston North when he crashed while attempting one of the most difficult jumps on the track, which he’d already completed with no problems three times that day.
“I don't know what happened exactly,” he says.
“I don't fully remember, but I ended up crashing. When I came to, I was curled up in a ball. It all just felt a bit wrong, so I lay back and had a breather.”
His mates found him on the ground, unable to move or feel his legs.
“I tried to move my legs and I couldn’t. My mates were asking me if I was all right and I remember saying, ‘Boys, I can’t feel my legs’.”
Jayden had sustained a T12 burst fracture in his spine.
An emergency flight to Christchurch
He was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital for emergency surgery, then transferred to Burwood Spinal Unit where he spent the next three months in rehabilitation learning how to become mobile again.
“The first few weeks were really hard,” he admits.
“It was a challenge just getting up and out of bed, and my body was really sore. But the help of the team there was huge.
“My occupational therapist and physio told me they’d seen plenty of cases like mine and they just wanted to get me moving and rehabilitated as best they could. They were so encouraging in my development.”
The road to recovery
With the help of ACC, Jayden was able to access those physios and occupational therapists, as well as having his car fitted out with hand controls so he could get his licence and be self-reliant.
“ACC is pivotal – they do everything for people with life-changing injuries like mine,” he says.
“From supporting you in your day-to-day life, getting you back up moving, getting you back to work, getting you in a vehicle, getting you back to sport, to getting you back to the quality of life that you had prior to injury, or as close as possible.”
Jayden’s parents, Mark and Kathy, have also been there for him every step of the way.
“They’re awesome supporters of mine and there’s no doubt that I couldn’t have done it without them,” he says.
“They’ve kept me positive and to know they’re always there to chat about stuff has been huge.”
Jayden with his parents Kathy and Mark
Getting active again
Through it all, Jayden has retained his sense of humour and love of extreme sports.
With an electric trike, he’s able to race around the mountain bike tracks of Wanaka where he’s now based.
He’s also taken up sit-skiing and trains with the Cardrona's Para Alpine Race Team in the hope of one day making it to the Paralympics.
In the meantime, he’s happy to enjoy the snow and simply have fun while training.
“It’s incredibly freeing,” he says.
“I can ski just as well and better than a lot of able-bodied people, it really levels the playing field.”
Jayden's advice to others
His advice to others who are recovering from life-changing injuries is to try to stay positive and keep leading an active life.
“It does seem like your whole life gets ripped away from you. It is rough and it’s probably the biggest challenge you’ll face in your life,” he says.
“So all you can do is make the most of every opportunity you get. Trial some equipment and make the best out of the situation.
“There’s plenty of opportunities out there and it might just take asking around or seeking out the right people. It’s really important to take those opportunities, to either help you get back to the quality of life you had prior to injury, or even just to try something new.”
No matter how bleak your situation may appear, Jayden says there will be a way forward.
“There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel,” he says.
“It may feel like the world has fallen in on you, especially at the start. But whatever situation you’re in, there are always going to be better days ahead.
“There will be hard times throughout your journey but you will get through it – and the better days make it all worthwhile.”
It’s advice Jayden has certainly taken on board for himself.
“Life’s for living,” he says.
“And I’m going to live mine to the fullest.”
ACC and Paralympics New Zealand
- We’re proud to be a community partner of Paralympics New Zealand.
- We believe participation in Para sport has a positive impact on wellbeing and rehabilitation.
- Our aim is to motivate and inspire people to lead active lives, through positive role models and opportunities to try Para sport – at any level.
- There are several regional disability sport and recreation organisations around New Zealand, sometimes called Parafeds. Some national sports organisations also offer Para sport.
- More information and a list of Para sport providers is available on the Paralympics New Zealand website.