In 2012, combat engineer Curtis McGrath was serving in the Australian army in Afghanistan when, in the line of duty, he stepped on a mine. Seriously injured but still conscious and aware he’d bleed out and die within minutes, Curtis, as the unit’s chief first-aid officer, directed his comrades to apply tourniquets and administer an IV and morphine. Then, as he was stretchered to a helicopter, fearing he would never see his family again, he joked that he planned to become a Paralympian.

Just months later, he was up and walking on prosthetic legs, motivated by the opportunity to march with his unit in their welcome-home ceremony. Kayaking gave him a new sense of purpose, and in 2013, he and his father, Paul, paddled 700 kilometres from Sydney to Brisbane to raise funds for Mates4Mates, which supports current and former Defence Force members.

Passionate about the power of sport to transform lives, Curtis is ready at last to share his extraordinary story, and how he has approached every setback and challenge with courage, resilience, humour and grit.