Our Ambassadors | Our People at Forward Ability Support

Our Ambassadors

Joel Sardi

Joel Sardi lives in Melbourne with his wife and young daughter. Before his injury, Joel was in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Today, he works with the ADF to support people leaving the army to find civilian work. He also speaks at events around Australia about his story and how he perseveres and overcomes obstacles he never thought he’d have to face. On top of it all, dedicated and ambitious, Joel’s passion for awareness and accessibility has led him to begin a Psychology Science degree this year.


“When I was first injured, I spent years trying to adapt to life in a chair and learning how to live again. It was extremely difficult and very eye-opening. Losing my independence was life-shattering as I had taken it for granted my entire life. Since the accident, I have struggled with incontinence, my body lost its ability to regulate temperature, and I even lost the ability to cough! These challenges are a part of my every day now. They are my ‘normal.’ I’m really looking forward to working alongside Forward as an ambassador so that I can educate many more people about spinal cord injury and what’s possible on the other side. Just recently, my wife and I had a daughter. Despite my daily challenges, there’s so much to live for and look forward to.”

Joel Sardi
Joel Sardi

Sam Tait

“I want to show everyone that living with a disability doesn’t disable you. For me, my life is so full, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Sam Tait

From a family of skiers with a love of the snow, there were few surprises that Sam was most keen on hitting the slopes after his injury. Before long, Sam’s goal was to compete in the 2018 Winter Paralympics and he spent the following years training day and night to get there, which he did!


Sam’s incredible drive has him set on a new goal: to be on the podium at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Sam Tait

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