On the 22nd of April 2020, our lives changed forever when we lost our son and brother Josh in a road trauma incident. He lost his life with three of his Victoria Police colleagues when a semitrailer, driven by a drug affected and fatigued driver, hit the four of them as they intercepted another vehicle on the Eastern Freeway.
The grief and utter despair that descended on us that night was visceral. We have spent the past three and a half years re-building our lives and living our ‘new normal’. We’ve done this by reaching out for help, supporting each other, and getting back to the things we have always loved. Our family always ran together; fun runs, marathons, half marathons and triathlons, particularly Ironman triathlon.
Reconnecting with the sports we love has helped improve our mental health and allowed us a more positive outlook, because we can do it together, share it with others and repair the physical and emotional pain at the same time. Although it has been very difficult, what helps us move forward is thinking about what Josh would want for us. It’s a very personal thing, but to our family, running frees us, lifts us, and brings us closer to Josh because we know that every time we run, he’s out there with us with a gentle hand on our backs saying: ‘you got this’.
As Ambassadors for 2XU Wellness Run Proudly Supporting Beyond Blue, our hope is that others will hear about our lived experience and how we continue to heal through running and physical activity. The social nature of running as well as the peace and solitude it can provide when you need it, has helped us to soften the sharp edges of grief and we only hope that the words we hear Josh say: ‘you got this’ will resonate with others.
— Andrew, Belinda, Alex and Rachel and Eliza Prestney
