An emotional journey
UPLIFTING, emotional and hard-hitting, this documentary sees a team of injured British and Australian veterans embark on an extraordinary near 1000-mile expedition.
Marking the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, a global sporting event for injured servicemen and women, the team tackles mentally and physically demanding treks across Western Australia.
Before they depart, they meet Prince Harry, patron of the Games, who knows full well what they will expect, having been seconded to the Australian Army himself in 2015.
“Do you guys have any idea what you’ve let yourselves in for?” he asks, also warning: “There are snakes, spiders, mosquitos, dingos, crocs, angry kangaroos...”
But he knows that the wildlife will be the least of their problems – the adventurers include those who have sustained life-changing injuries in frontline combat and during training, as well as ‘invisible’ pain and mental health issues.
Brit Martin Hewitt was shot in Afghanistan, resulting in paralysis of his right arm. British veteran Shaun Stocker stepped on an IED in Afghanistan at the age of 19. He lost both his legs and was blinded.
British former aircraft technician Keanie Trick injured her back and hip in training and suffers from chronic pain, depression and anxiety, while Aussie Dean West endured spinal and brain injuries during a vehicle accident that killed five soldiers, and has been diagnosed with PTSD.
And Australian Matt Tolson has severe pain from damage to his back and knees and travels with his PTSD service dog.
It’s a tough journey through one of the world’s greatest wildernesses and emotions run high as they begin to open up to each other.