As Kerrie was greeted by more than 60 of her family and friends who had organised a gathering for her 60th birthday, she was stunned when one old friend she didn’t expect to see, stood up and gave her a hug.

John Blackburn, the former Gunnedah truck driver diagnosed as a tetraplegic following a freak cycling accident in July last year, had defied the medical experts and his injury to make it “home” for Kerrie’s big day.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when John stood up and gave me a cuddle,” Kerrie said.

“I cried, I couldn’t believe it. It was incredible.”

For Kerrie, seeing her long-time friends John and Maureen Blackburn back in town was, she claims, the perfect present.

“I just didn’t expect to see John out of hospital let alone travelling all the way from Shoalhaven Heads just for my birthday.”

John has been undergoing intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation after suffering critical neck injuries after falling from his mountain bike while on a Sunday morning ride with friends seven months ago.

Taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, after the accident, then a month later transferred to the Spinal Rehab Unit at the Prince of Wales Hospital, John is now being treated in David Berry Hospital, Berry, a 15 minute drive from the family’s new home.

As each week passes John continues to defy the odds and confound his doctors as he slowly but surely confronts his injuries head-on.

Told he would never walk again and that he would have only minimal use of his arms and hands, John is gradually winning his battle.

“John has made amazing progress, and we attribute a huge amount of that to the unbelievable love and support we have received from the Gunnedah community, along with our family and friends,” said Maureen.

“And of course one of the driving forces behind that support has been our very good friend, Kerrie.

“John still has a very long way to go but he is showing an amazing will to overcome the odds and no-one is prepared to bet against him succeeding.”

Maureen said the move to David Berry Hospital from Prince of Wales, Randwick three weeks ago, has allowed her to bring John home on weekends .

“This also enables me to sleep in my own bed for the first time, on a regular basis, in seven months.

“It also means I can prepare home cooked meals of a weekend, also making his life more pleasant.”

Perhaps the last words are best left to Kerrie Muller.

“When John stood up to give me a cuddle and said he had made the trip home because he had to tell me he loved me and that he needed to thank me personally for what I had done, I just cried.

“I told him it was the effort of a community.

“It was an amazing night and again, on behalf of John and Maureen I would like to thank all the wonderful people who have helped them as John continues on his journey of recovery.

“He is an amazing man with an amazing wife.”