Transformed after trauma

THE Adelaide truck driver who lost his leg in a horror freeway crash that killed two people in 2014 is rebuilding his own life through cycling and aiming for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Darren Hicks will stand trial in October next year charged with causing death by dangerous driving after the brakes on the truck he was driving failed, and it smashed into stationary cars at an estimated 150km/h.

The crash claimed the lives of Tom Spiess, 56, and Jacqui Byrne, 41.

Hicks, who was in his first week on the job driving a sewage truck for Cleanaway, had his right leg almost completely severed in the crash and it was later amputated above the knee. Cleanaway is facing federal charges that it failed to properly train Hicks.

But as he awaits his trial next year, Hicks has transformed his life with a new focus — elite para-cycling — and won two silver medals at this year’s world championships in South Africa.

The married 32-year-old pedals with one leg, without his prosthetic, and this weekend will race the national track championships in Sydney. Pending his progress and the outcome of his court case, he is a genuine chance to make the next Paralympics.

“You have to deal with what’s happened and I feel like I’m just trying to do the best I can,” he said.

Hicks is also helping the Cancer Council’s Ride for a Reason campaign because he feels indebted to people who have helped him recover physically and mentally.

“So many people have helped me, I want to do anything I can to help others,” he said.