Alex McKinnon drives solo from Newcastle to Sydney and back for the first time

USING his remarkable courage, perseverance and determination, Alex McKinnon has conquered another challenge as an incomplete quadriplegic — driving from Newcastle to Sydney and back solo.

ALEX McKinnon’s alarm clock goes off at 4am last Tuesday morning to begin his most formidable challenge since becoming a quadriplegic.

This is a story of remarkable courage, perseverance and determination.

The day he drove from Newcastle to Sydney and back … on his own.

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McKinnon had to be in Sydney as a guest at the launch of Fox Sports’ NRL coverage by 8am and then at a lunchtime appointment at the SCG to interview netball legend Anne Sargeant.

A long day for any of us, let alone someone who can’t walk.

His rock, wife Teigan, has been there since the terrible accident in March 2014 that left him in a wheelchair for life.

McKinnon’s car has been modified to suit his wheelchair.

On this Tuesday, she is working as a schoolteacher and can’t be there.

It takes Alex an hour and a half to shower, dress and have breakfast.

At 5.30am, while most of us are still in bed, he wheels himself up a ramp and into the specially modified VW van that is now his wheels … and his independence.

He got his licence in December.

There is torrential rain and a four-car pileup on the Mooney Mooney Bridge to deal with.

I’ll let him explain how he uses the back of his head and hands to operate the car.

“I push myself in and then press a button that locks my chair into place,” he said.

“You push another button which locks in a device behind my head.

“It’s like the control panel. It has indicator buttons on either side. I use my head to change lanes.

McKinnon drove from Newcastle to Sydney and back for the first time.

“There’s another button in the middle. You push it once to blow the horn. Push it for two seconds and the wipers come on. Three seconds for high beam. Four seconds for the wipers and spray.

“Then I use my left hand to pull a lever to accelerate or push to brake.

“My right hand is on the steering wheel. It’s a bit like driving a forklift with the one hand.”

He arrives in Sydney at The Rocks with minutes to spare for the Fox Sports launch.

No one has any idea of this achievement as he wheels himself in.

“I felt quite proud of myself,” he said.

But the physical challenges are immense.

It’s taken three weeks to prepare for this one day.

It took McKinnon three weeks

He’s had to roll onto his stomach to sleep at night to take pressure off the sores on his backside from constantly sitting in his chair.

“It’s a massive thing to be driving,” McKinnon said, “It gives me a lot of confidence and it’s opened up a whole new world.

“I consistently aim for things and try to achieve them. You set goals and you know where you want to go.

“I guess it’s about giving other people in my position some hope. I’m just happy to appreciate the little things in life.”

At 5.30pm that night he arrives back home in Newcastle.

A relieved Teigan is there to greet him.

“It’s 100 per cent up there with anything I’ve ever done,” he says.

“I still think of my wedding day and being able to stand there as my greatest achievement.

“Sometimes you look back and think how the f … did I do that.

“Driving to Sydney was like that. I had no choice. I just had to be there and had to do it.”

Originally published as Alex McKinnon drives solo from Newcastle to Sydney and back for the first time