ABC News Breakfast star Charles Brice's remarkable story trends now
Australia's newest breakfast television star would have never become a journalist if it wasn't for a life-changing accident that left him a quadriplegic.
ABC News Breakfast presenter Charles Brice grew up in Adelaide dreaming of becoming a pilot and by age 19, was well on his way to getting his flying licence when he decided to live and work on a mate's family farm 250km away.
Not long after he packed up his life and moved to Loxton in 2010, Mr Brice went on a Saturday morning motorbike ride with his new friends.
But just a few kilometres from home, he rode around a bend and after a series of bumps, went flying over the handlebars and landed head first on the ground.
Unable to move or grab his phone from his pocket, he spent 30 minutes lying on the road until the group returned on their way back.
Mr Brice was airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where doctors told his devastated family that he had shattered two vertebrae in his neck, completely severed his spinal cord and had a five per cent chance of ever walking again.
Charles Brice (right) has moved to Melbourne to became a permanent member of the News Breakfast team
Emergency surgery to fuse his C5/C6 vertebrae left Mr Brice sedated in intensive care for three weeks where he remained on a ventilator for almost two months.
A future in journalism had never crossed his mind until a 14 month stint in rehab, where watching TV helped keep him occupied.
It sparked a passion in TV news, despite the fact that reporters in a wheelchair appeared to be non-existent.
In 2019, Mr Brice began his journalism career with the ABC and within two years, made his on-camera debut.
He soon became familiar with News Breakfast viewers as the program's South Australian correspondent.
Last week, Mr Brice packed up his life and moved to Melbourne to become a permanent member of News Breakfast team.
He will spend the next 12 months producing and presenting for the national broadcaster's breakfast program.
'Adelaide's finest is now part of the News Breakfast studio team, and he'll be with us
