Darren's story is one of abuse; mental, physical and sex-
ual. He is now adamant that his inability to speak up has
played a huge part in his life path, his choices and now the
outcome.
In his late 40's Darren made that fateful decision, one
that changed a life of fear, fighting and repression to one
of realisation, one where Darren understood that having a
good life means living
a life.
Darren
realised
that the first steps to
ending the pain is to
speak up, speak out,
seek help ...
He has started on a personal mission to encourage oth-
ers to follow his lead, to seek help, to speak up. Darren
wants people to realise that trying to appear happy and
being happy living life are two very different things. One
is important, the other, not so.
Darren sees everyday that men, especially, are too stub-
born, to ashamed, to macho, to speak up and ask for help.
And this is a key problem.
This process and understanding set Tracks4Life in mo-
tion, allowing Darren to do the one thing he loves most,
ride dirt bikes, while encouraging men (anyone) who is
suffering to speak up.
This year Darren is setting out on a 'full lap' of Australia,
visiting as many re-
gional and rural areas
as possible to encour-
age his message of
hope through conver-
sations with this that
might be suffering.
The Tracks4Life lap will start on March 3 from Sydney
Harbour and Darren would like as many people as pos-
sible to ride along with him. It's an opportunity for rid-
ers to take on what Darren is billing as 'Australia's longest
trail ride', and a chance to help communities and others
in need.
Darren points out that you don't have to pay to register
for the ride; while raising money is a goal, the main inten-
tion is to raise awareness and put and end to suffering that
often ends with suicide.
The Tracks4Life route is one of many locations and
events and while there's plenty of waypoints Darren says
it is best to keep an eye on the Tracks4Life website (www.
tracks4life.net) for details on planned stops and where
you can join the ride, details will also be update regularly
at www.mycause.com.au/events/thefulllap#pages/What's
on.
This is an important issue and Darren is using his own
experiences to make the public aware, let's give him a
hand.
Further information can be obtained by email -
darren@tracks4life.net or tracey@tracks4life.net
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