Lewis Bishop swims the lows and highs of life on his way into Aussie Dolphins team set for the World Para Swimming Championships
Why? Because he saw rock bottom, a near-death experience 10 years ago which motivated him to strive for one of his proudest moments - winning at bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games
'There were so many years building up to that moment, and the fact that my parents were there was special,'' said Lewis, a butterfly ace.
'It was my first team and I did not have the expectation of winning a medal so the bronze medal was almost unbelievable at the time.''
To think it was just 10 years ago when Bishop, aged nine, went to hell and back.
Bishop, now 19, was living in PNG with his mum and dad, Clare and Damon, where his dad worked in the mines and his mother ran a swimming squad for locals.
One day he was out on the water knee boarding with family friends when he jumped into the water and got his leg caught in the propeller.
The injuries were so horrific, he was at death's door. 'I almost died,'' 19-year-old Bishop said.
He was in a critical condition, flown to Townsville hospital that night, and after a week transported to Brisbane.
Bishop had his leg amputated below the knee, but the wound became infected and had to be amputated higher up.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is what the bottom of the barrel looks like and Bishop saw it.
He then continued to push through more adversity before, 12 operations later, Bishop's life started to swing around.
'Within a few months (after the accident) I was walking again, and a few months after that I was active again back in the pool.''
A bit of tough love from mum helped him get back into the pool.
'I'd like to say mum basically tipped me out of my (wheel) chair and into the pool.
'She said 'you are not going to be sitting around because of your disability'. You are going to be active,'' Bishop recalled.
'I learned to do that (swim) before I learned to walk again.''
First stop in the rebirth of his sporting journey was the Somerville House school pool, not far from the hospital where he was staying.
'I don't remember swimming being too difficult. Obviously the kick was not as strong, but I could float and I made it to the other end, so I was happy.''
Joining Bishop in the water was his mum, Clare.
'As soon as his wounds were healed, I took him in a wheelchair up to Somerville House pool and tipped him in and it was the first time he had probably smiled since the accident,'' Clare said.
'We knew the only way forward was to keep him active the best way we could,'' said his mother Clare.
'It was hard. You want to wrap him up in cotton wool, but we also knew the only way forward was to be mentally engaged.
And being a sporting boy, we needed to follow his natural inclination (of being involved in sport).
'He loved the water as a baby. I think he swam before he walked,'' Clare recalled.
'He loves a challenge and he took it.''
Bishop's love of the water came from his time in coastal Gove, the Northern Territory, when his father was working in the mines. 'It was amazing fishing,'' Bishop recalled.
From there the family moved to PNG where Bishop's love affair with the water continued.
So when he was looking to resume a sporting life following his accident, it was only natural that this water baby hit the pool.
Bishop, who attended St Bernard's Primary School and then Clairvaux MacKillop College, trains under Josh Smith at Rackley Swimming Hibiscus. Last week his progression continued when he made the world championship squad headed to Singapore in September.
Bishop is a part of the Paralympics Australia's Imagine Education Program which educates students about the Paralympic movement, the Games and Para sports.
Paralympians like Bishop from the Queensland Academy of Sport visit primary schools to help break down stigma around disability.
Currently, only 25 percent of people with a disability participate in sport and Bishop would like to help that to change.
Having once looked up to Olympians and paralympians, Bishop is now one of those young men educating the youth of today about disability in sport.
'I hope to inspire the future generation,'' Bishop said.
'When I was in primary school (at St Bernard's School) and a Paralympian had visited, that would have been pretty special. And now I do that. It is an honour to be able to give back.''
For Bishop, he is only in the middle of his sporting dream. It all started in that Somerville House pool when he entered the water from a wheelchair 10 years ago, it continued in Paris at the Games, and it could end in Brisbane at the 2023 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
'I feel like I am just getting started. Brisbane (2032) is coming up on the horizon so I want to stay around for that.''
Bishop dares to dream because he knows dreams do come true. After all, he is alive, isn't he, he can walk and he can swim - very, very well.
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