For more than 25 years Perry Cross has been unable to breathe. A ventilator does it for him 24-7. Neither has he been able to move any part of his body, other than his head. At the age of 19 Perry was severely injured in a rugby union tackle. He used the devastating quadriplegia diagnosis to launch an inspiring career, selflessly devoting his life to driving awareness and research into spinal injury. He set up the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation with the primary aim of finding a cure for paralysis. The Foundation has raised more than $11 million dollars to date, kick-starting several major research projects in Australia. For me, talking with people like Perry reinforces how precious life is, how amazing humans can be, the power of love and how light can shine through the great darkness. I feel very grateful and humbled to have spoken with him.