Preston's story

Preston grew up surrounded by the sunny Nelson countryside. Life on the farm gave him a grounded outlook and a determination beyond his years. Preston didn’t know these traits would become vital far sooner than he ever expected.

In February 2025, at just 18 years of age, Preston’s life changed in an instant. A serious motorcycle accident left him critically injured and he was put into an induced coma at Nelson ICU. When a nurse noticed his pupils were reacting unevenly, Preston was rushed for a CT scan. The results revealed he had suffered a significant brain injury and a stroke.

He and his mother were airlifted to Wellington ICU, where doctors warned the family to prepare for the likelihood of profound mental and physical impairments

When Preston came out of his coma, he couldn’t talk and had lost function on the right side of his body. He had very limited movement and relied on gestures to communicate.

Once his condition stabilised, Preston was transferred to the ABI Rehabilitation Centre in Porirua. There, doctors discussed the worst-case scenario — that he might spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Rehabilitation was intensive. Speech therapy began one painstaking word at a time, alongside demanding physiotherapy sessions designed to retrain his body.

Preston attacked his rehab with the same practical determination he’d learned growing up, tackling each challenge with quiet determination.

After three months, he regained his speech and began to recover mobility. He continues to follow a rigorous physiotherapy programme and has made remarkable progress.

His recovery still has its ups and downs but the swings between them have become much less. Mum, Rachel Harris says the speed of his recovery has surpassed everyone’s expectations.

“With his young brain, his recovery has massively high potential. And the brain never stops trying to fix itself. He’s got so much time and energy to recover. The brain is so powerful.”

Preston’s mum Rachel has always been a source of strength. She lives just north of Nelson on the family farm, where she has built The Summer House, a beautiful wedding and conference venue with wrap-around views. Each autumn, they open their steep farm to host a running event in partnership with Athletics NZ.

This year the event takes place on ANZAC Day and will raise funds for Stroke Aotearoa. The Harris Hilltop Challenge is a well-known event in the community and raises around $6000 each year for charity. The event sells out with 150 athletes, and every registration fee will help other families affected by stroke.

Before his accident, Preston had always loved talking to people. After all he’s been through, Preston wants to share his story. He says stroke recovery has been the most difficult part of his life to date.

“There’s definitely bad days, but you can get through.”

Now he’s literally on his road to recovery, Preston is working out ways he can draw on his experience positively. He is looking into speaking publicly, possibly at schools or clubs. He wants young people to think about the impact an accident on the road could have on their lives and encourage them to take care when driving. And for other stroke survivors, especially young people, he wants to offer hope.