When 12-year-old Elijah ran for Shine at Round the Bays last year, he was one of the most promising young runners in his age group.
But before the year was out, he would find himself unable to walk.
Elijah crossed the finish line fourth in his age group in 2025. He completed the 8.4km course in an impressive 34 minutes 5 seconds.
But for Elijah, the day wasn’t only about time or placement. With the help of his mum, he also raised more than $500 for Shine.
In the months that followed, with his strength, endurance and confidence building, he won the Auckland Champs cross country and placed second at AIMS (Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools) cross country.
He set his sights on winning Round the Bays 2026 — chasing the podium.
However, in November everything changed.
Elijah was riding his bike to school on a morning just like any other. He was heading downhill at speed when he approached his left hand turn. A van was stopped at the intersection. Unable to take the turn tight enough at pace, Elijah tried to correct and lost control.
As he fell, his leg became wedged in the bike frame. The twist and force shattered his femur into three pieces, leaving him in intense pain. Paramedics arrived and sedated him to straighten his leg.
At Starship, he was promptly X-rayed, given a nerve block and placed in traction while he waited for surgery. He underwent a complex five-hour operation, where surgeons inserted a rod from hip to knee to stabilise the fracture.
Elijah's recovery began in a wheelchair.
Months on crutches followed. Rehabilitation was slow and painstaking. “There was a long period where even walking again felt a long way off,” says Elijah's mum.
Recovery requires patience, persistence and resilience
— qualities that can’t be measured by a stopwatch.
For a boy who had measured progress in kilometres and race results, this was a different kind of test. But, despite the setback, Elijah approached rehabilitation with the same discipline he had brought to training.
“He was very diligent with his rehab," his mum says, “and we have celebrated each 'win'. Being cleared to walk again was a huge milestone.”
And that milestone meant something important.
Although running is not possible, Elijah is still determined to be part of Round the Bays this year.
While his dream to compete for the podium has been side-lined, he has shifted his focus from performance to participation. Elijah will be walking the course, (with his doctors' permission), and raising funds for Shine again.
“I’m passionate about raising awareness and funds to help stop family violence, and that’s something that has rubbed off on him,” Elijah's mum says. "Even when life throws us challenges, we can still find ways to make a positive difference for others.”
Instead of racing for a medal, Elijah will walk the course — step by step — with purpose.
His journey is a reminder that sometimes strength doesn't look like winning. Sometimes it looks like resilience, patience and choosing to keep showing up — even when the path has changed.
Shine helps make people safer from family violence.
Every dollar raised through events like Round the Bays helps ensure that women and children can access safety planning, refuge, legal support, counselling and practical assistance as they rebuild their lives.
Join Elijah to support Shine at Round the Bays.
You can be a part of helping make families safer, too!
Sign up to run or walk Round the Bays for Shine.
Or, if you can’t make it on the day, you can still make a difference by donating to Elijah's fundraising page.
Elijah running for Shine at Round the Bays 2025