“I still dream about Wakeboarding – I still dream about riding. Then I wake up in the morning angry cause I’ve been having such an awesome ride. I wake up, and here I am, back in this world and it doesn’t seem real.” Brad Smeele

It doesn’t get ‘Raw-er’ than this. It was one year ago, on the 6th July 2014, that Brad’s world was thrown onto a path that he could not have anticipated nor be prepared for. While attempting a trick that he is still the only person in the world to ever ride away from, he fell from 25 ft high at 25 mph onto his neck, shattering his C4 vertebrae. His injury changed his life. Setting him on a journey to recovery that will consume his life for years to come.

Never before has one man symbolised the hopes, dreams and sadly – tragedy of the sport we love. Brad Smeele is a symbol of courage, strength and character. Since that day, the entire wakeboard community has followed his every ‘move’. One year on, we sit down with him in NZ for Raw Ep 02 – Brad Smeele.