Tim helps the hurt
Clothing firm puts riders back on their bikes
A DIRT bike rider almost paralysed when he came off a jump three years ago is creating apparel to help fund medical treatment for other injured riders.
Tim Van Eggelen, now 25, knows dirt bike riding is a dangerous activity. Since picking up the sport five years ago he has broken his wrist and foot and injured his knee.
The accumulation of injuries and his life-changing accident four years ago prompted Mr Van Eggelen to do something to help others experiencing road trauma.
At 22, he was riding when he slipped and landed on his back. Doctors diagnosed him with a suppressed spinal injury that resulted in severe and debilitating nerve damage but could have left him paralysed.
For six months he could not sit-up straight. The selfemployed concreter was out of work and depressed.
“The pain was crazy. There were mornings when my partner would leave to go to work and (while she was out) I would fall on the floor and couldn’t get up for five hours,” Mr Van Eggelen said.
“I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t stand, I couldn’t work.
“As someone who was selfemployed it made it hard.”
After months of rehabilitation he found a job as a courier driver. It was then the idea to create bike riding apparel and Rider Alliance was born.
The company donates 10 per cent of profits to people in need of support after a traumatic or life-changing crash.
“I was pretty lucky to come away with the injuries I had. I could have become paralysed,” Mr Van Eggelen said.
“It is good to be able to give back and support those who need help.”
Ebony Harris, who broke both arms in seven places while dirt bike riding, has been on the receiving end of Mr Eggelen’s support.
“When you crash you go into that moment of thinking I’m not ever going to be able to ride again or do anything again, but (Tim) will support you to be able to achieve that,” Ms Harris said.
Rider Alliance has donated thousands of dollars to injured riders over three years and he hopes community support will enable him to provide medical equipment for people who need extra support at home.