The gang member with spina bifida

Life in a wheelchair means Hamilton’s Stacey Lomax has become accustomed to the stares.

A specially made matte-black chair allows him the freedom his condition has robbed.

Lomax, 28, was born with spina bifida, a defect where the spine doesn’t form normally in the womb.

But his condition isn’t the cause of attention these days – it’s the bulldog emblem on the back of his leather vest.

Lomax is a patched Mongrel Mob Kingdom member, after earning his ‘‘korowai’’ in July.

He’s the only known gang member in the country with spina bifida, and it’s likely he’s one of the only gangsters in a wheelchair, he said.

‘‘It’s unusual to have a gang member in a wheelchair.

‘‘It’s not your normal, typical view of a gangster.’’

Lomax said the chair means he’s struggled to be accepted his whole life.

While he doesn’t want to delve into the details, he was abandoned by his parents as a baby and raised by his grandmother.

She instilled in him that he could ‘‘do anything and everything’’.

At 28 years old, Lomax is a champion bodybuilder and powerlifter.

He’s competed several times in both sports and his ultimate goal is to compete at Mr Olympia.

He’s also a novice personal trainer, a goal he achieved while prospecting for the mob to show loyalty in a bid to become a member.

Lomax started prospecting soon after being introduced to the gang about five years ago. He was always on hand to help at every mob event, even if that meant wheeling several kilometres across town in the rain.

Not only did he attend every event, he was always the first to turn up and the last to leave, a senior gang member said.

And it was this commitment that was a big part of him earning his patch.

‘‘I was introduced to the Kingdom [by a mutual friend] about five or six years ago.

‘‘I was at a community event and I was in awe of how they [operated] and helped the community with things like access to healthcare.

‘‘It was nothing like what you would expect. It showed you can be gangster without any of the [crime] and stuff that people expect gang members do.’’

Lomax never expected to be a patched gang member, nor was it his intention when he was introduced.

But he’s found acceptance among the gang, something he says shows that it’s an inclusive organisation, after also announcing a women’s chapter earlier this year.

‘‘At the end of the day, the korowai to me represents leadership for our peers and people.

‘‘People look at us like it’s nothing but we show we can be gangsters by doing the right things, working hard, and being honest people.

‘‘I’m a bodybuilder and powerlifting champion, I’m not just a gang member. I’ve done a lot of successful things in my life and I have a lot of goals that I would have achieved with or without being in a gang, and regardless of my disability.

‘‘But what I have achieved while being in the gang is independence, acceptance, and a family.’’