Meet the courageous Kiwi with cerebral palsy out to overcome his disability

May 9, 2020

Jordon Milroy has shown people more than once that a disability can be less of a barrier than imagined. (Source: Other)

Jordon Milroy was born with cerebral palsy after stopping breathing for four minutes - but he's out to break stigmas around disabilities by doing things like getting a driver's license.

The 29-year-old has climbed towers around the world for charity, starting with the Sky Tower, which he accomplished in just 24 minutes.

He's also a Paralympic champion in sailing and opened the games for his homeland Samoa in 2019.

"Cerebral palsy is a disability that happens during or shortly or after birth - so primarily, brain damage," Jordan told Tagata Pasifika .

"I've been on my driving journey for about two years - when I started no one wanted to teach me how to drive because of my disability, so I called in the experts.

"Sometimes you're really frustrated because I know what to do but it's my body that's holding me back.

"I remember the first time driving on the motorway, I was so scared but I was so proud of who I was."

"In the car, no one can see my cerebral palsy - I'm just a car going 70 in the 100 zone, everyone beeping their horns at me, but no one can tell I'm disabled."

"Driving is the last frontier towards independence."

He was just weeks away from getting his license when the Covid-19 lockdown was brought in, which left him feeling a bit "bummed out.

"I wanted to get my license before my birthday but I'm not sure if I can do it."

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