Surfers their stories: Kylie & Harvey

On a hot summer’s day in 2000 after already having three children Kylie realised that she was in trouble with her latest pregnancy and was rushed to hospital where she gave birth to her son Harvey. He was born fourteen weeks premature and right from the outset Harvey was fighting for life. For eight months Harvey was in intensive care. Kylie just desperately wanted to bring her son, who was not expected to survive, home. As soon as Kylie did get Harvey home he became part of the family’s regular trips to the beach. “He was still on oxygen but I truly believe that the positive and vital energy of the ocean helped him”.

Harvey has defied the expectations of many medical experts and has grown into an active young grommet that enjoys all sorts of energetic pursuits, surfing and “chair skating” being two of his favourites. With the support of his family Harvey loves getting out into the surf and says that “riding a wave feels like flying”.

After a huge fund raising effort by their family and friends Harvey and his mate Paddy recently travelled to California and Costa Rica and got together with other surfers/skaters with mobility issues to 'Share The Stoke' at skate parks and in the surf. The pair were inspired by Christian ‘Otter’ Bailey and other wheelchair athletes and have returned home on a mission to keep sharing the experience with others and encourage other kids to keep active.

Kylie and Harvey look forward to the warmer water each summer and getting big brother Jake (a member of the Warnambool Surf Life Saving Club) to paddle Harvey into a few waves so he can feel that wonderful feeling of flying on a surfboard. And Kylie can once again immerse herself in the oceans embrace and feel that sense of solace that she finds there.