Independent Press Award
2024 winner
A Fraction Stronger
Mark Berridge
The story of one man's rise after a life-changing fall, and how we can find inspiration and possibility in life's darkest moments.
In a split second, Mark Berridge's life came crashing down. His bicycle understeered through a corner, the impact wrenching him over the handlebars and catapulting him headfirst into a stormwater drain. A large piece of dislodged vertebrae compressed his spinal cord, causing devastating nerve damage. The accident fractured Mark's body and his identity. Fortunately, his helmet - though deeply crushed - protected his ability to think and retain valuable memories, allowing him to pursue every possible avenue in his physical recovery and beyond.
Mark spent more than six weeks in hospital and nine months in intensive rehabilitation. His sustained effort to regain mobility became an integral part of his new identity. A Fraction Stronger is Mark's story, focused on the insight and inspiration that will guide you through life's impossible moments. Mark shares how small actions, combined with determination to seek out possibility in the darkness, can light your way forwards.