His steps are small and assisted by nurses, but for Canberra man David Blucher, walking is an achievement.
On New Year's Eve he went to Mount Stromlo for what was meant to be a quick session to photograph mountain bike riders. It had been his hobby for 12 years.
David doesn't remember what happened next. It's totally blank. He'd only taken 15 photos and was at a spot that he'd used many times before.
But he's been told a rider lost control near the bottom of a run, hitting him at speed.
Six of his ribs were broken and his family was initially told he'd been concussed.
His injuries though, were much worse.
His spine had been broken in a few places and he required a lengthy emergency surgery, followed by a transfer for a long hospital stay in Sydney.
"I was in pretty dire straits. I was intubated when I woke up here," David said, speaking to the ABC from hospital in Sydney.
"I was a quadriplegic in clinical terms."
'An absolute legend'
The local mountain biking community was shocked and saddened by the accident.
For more than a decade, David had posted his action shots online for free and had become known to locals and visitors to Canberra.
"He's an absolute legend out here," said Mic Longhurst, a friend and mountain bike instructor.
"I've got huge amounts of my advertising that are photos of his.
"Everyone I know, probably half the mountain bike riders' [social media] photos here are probably something he did."
Without being asked, Mic and the mountain biking community started raising money to assist the Blucher family. So far, they've received nearly $30,000.
"It's the first time I can think of where someone who wasn't riding has been injured here at Mount Stromlo," Mic said.
David has been overwhelmed by the donations and messages of support.
In a sign of how widespread his work is in the mountain biking community, one of the patients in a nearby hospital bed in Sydney has a photo David took on a social media profile.
"It's spirit-warming to know that support exists," David said.
"You have a lot of time to reflect in hospital and I have really reflected on the value of friendship.
"I want to acknowledge the support I've received, including from friends on Facebook."
Signs good for decent, if not full, recovery
David recently celebrated his birthday and is hopeful that he will be moved to a hospital in Canberra within the next few weeks.
Recovery from serious spinal surgery is always slow and it can be particularly hard when you are in your late 70s.
"I've lost a year of my retirement effectively," he said, before pointing out there were people in hospital in worse conditions than himself.
"I have some way to go," he added.
"But the trend certainly is encouraging. I'm feeling remarkably well right now."
The spinal injury left David impaired down his right side.
"But that's coming, it's improving. The right side is better than it was," he said.
"The signs are good for a decent recovery, if not a full recovery."
Despite the accident, David is determined he will eventually get back on a bike and return to Mount Stromlo to take photos again.
"I need to be walking much better than I am now. It's certainly a goal," he said.
"By the end of the year is certainly realistic and if it happens before that, even better, because I'm keen.
"I'm quite hopeful I'll be back on the bike before too long."
