House Heroes: The man who refused to die

After a surfing accident almost claimed his life, Ben Cryan is now sharing his story of survival to give others a fresh perspective on life, as seen on House of Wellness TV.

In 2011, Ben Cryan was at the peak of his personal and professional lives.

He’d landed a huge engineering contract under his own business, bought his first home in Port Melbourne and met a great girl.

Prior to starting his new role, Ben booked a surfing trip to Micronesia – a life long dream of his.

“Before the accident, I was just an everyday kid,” he says. “I travelled the world, booked a holiday, a surf spot I’d always wanted to surf.”

The dream holiday became a nightmare when a massive wave smashed Ben into a reef, leaving him in a small-island hospital with life-threatening injuries.

“The hardest part through all of that was the mental challenges,” he says. “The doctors told me I’d potentially never walk again.”

“Six weeks later I was so determined I got out of my bed and I just literally stood there and that for me was a huge milestone.”

With the love and support of family and friends, plus a wider network that included surfing greats like Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater, Ben was inspired on his road to recovery.

“I think the real underlying issue is challenging life and pushing yourself,” Ben says. “When you start pushing yourself you actually realise what you’re capable of achieving and our bodies are capable of achieving amazing things.”

“I’ve looked at the hurdles and challenges I’ve faced and it helps me in those tough times, and that’s why I share my story.”

To learn more about Ben, head to www.bencryan.com