Elliott was three years old when he got meningitis. It became serious very quickly, and he was flown to Starship, where he says they basically saved his life. 

In the years that followed, Elliott continued to have problems with his leg. Eventually, when he was eight, he and his family made the decision to have it amputated. The doctors and nurses supported them through that decision and made Elliott feel comfortable, even when things were scary. In fact, as strange as it might sound, Elliott remembers actually looking forward to the surgery because he knew it was for the best. For him, that shows just how comfortable he felt with the people looking after him. 

Since his surgery, Elliott has looked at the world differently. Going through something so significant at a young age made other challenges feel easier and more achievable in his mind, and he’s never wanted what happened to stop him or cause people to treat him differently. 

That was true at home too. Elliott still had the same rules as his brothers, they were still competitive with each other, and he still wanted to beat them at something. As he got older, that competitive streak took him into CrossFit, where he started competing, won the New Zealand CrossFit Champs and went on to compete at Worlds. He also loves riding motorbikes and being competitive wherever he can. 

After everything he’s been through, Elliott’s mindset is pretty simple. If he’s already been through that, everything else feels easier. It’s not really about what he can’t do, but about finding a way to do it. 

Looking back now, the things that once seemed huge feel much smaller. 

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