Sailor David Pescud nominated for Pride of Australia Medal for work with the disabled

WHEN David Pescud sails in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, most members of his crews are disabled. That tireless work with the disbaled has earned him a Pride of Australia Medal nomination.

David Pescud had spina bifida sufferer Grace Kennedy as one of his crew in this year’s Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. Picture: Bradley Hunter

THE wind was rough as they sailed to Hobart, so David Pescud was a bit distracted when a crew member proudly announced a personal best.

“And what’s that mate?” he asked. “He said, ‘Well, I just got my clothes on, got my wet-weather gear on, fastened my harness and got up on deck in 43 minutes’.”

Like that young man, most members of Mr Pescud’s crews are disabled. Some have one leg, spina bifida or paralysis. One year, his skipper was blind.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re one-legged or two-headed,” Mr Pescud said.

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Mr Pescud, who struggled with severe dyslexia all his life, had just sold his trucking business when he heard a radio interview with a young paraplegic person who wanted to sail the Sydney to Hobart.

“That interested me, the idea of disabled people doing something they had not been done before,” he said.

David Pescud had spina bifida sufferer Grace Kennedy as one of his crew in this year’s Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. Picture: Bradley Hunter

“I saw it as a challenge.”

With the money from his business, Mr Pescud could be sailing around the world.

Instead, he formed Sailors with Disabilities, which has helped more than 3000 people — prompting the parents­ of his students to nominate him for the Pride of Australia Community Spirit Medal.

“It’s a bit pressure cooker, at sea,” he said.

“You’ve got someone like me yelling at you saying ‘go faster, stronger longer. You haven’t got any legs? So get up the front and keep doing the job’. It’s that attitude — ‘you’re a human being, you’ve signed up to do the job, we know you can do the job, so get on and do it’.

“These kids will start out to Hobart with a disability.

“When they cross the line, I guarantee you the disability is gone,” Mr Pescud said.

PRIDE OF AUSTRALIA - NOMINATE NOW

THE Pride of Australia Medal is one of News Corp Australia’s most important community endeavours — recognising and rewarding our community’s most outstanding members.

Over the past 10 years we have shared more than 19,000 stories and awarded more than 550 medals .

We’ve proudly championed leaders, campaigners, care-givers, volunteers, teachers and everyday Australians whose extraordinary actions have set them apart. So if someone has inspired you through their dedication, initiative, courage or charity — be it family, friend or colleague — show them how much their actions matter and give them the recognition they deserve by nominating them for the prestigious Pride of Australia Medal by July 29.

Click here or a full list of categories or to nominate