Dani Campbell couldn't walk until he was three, and even now can't walk more than 50m without being in pain and needing to sit down.
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"But I can skate all day," he told the Mercury.
"If I didn't have skateboarding I probably wouldn't know where I'd be right now.
"It's basically free therapy, and a freedom.
"Any sort of fitness helps you as therapy, you're sweating... It just gives you a healthy mindset."
Campbell was born in 1997 with a clubfoot, and started skating when he was eight.
"It's because one foot's smaller than the other and it doesn't flex as much, so the blood flow's kind of weird I guess," he said of his ability to skate freely.
"It fills my day. Nothing is more fun than skating, just flying around with friends, and to have the ability to do something you never thought you'd be able to do.
"I couldn't walk until I was three, and by the time I was nine I was jumping off one-storey buildings on a skateboard."
Having grown up in Fairy Meadow, he currently lives in Dapto but still skates at Fairy Meadow every day, having fun and practicing for the next competition.
Now a professional skater, earlier this year the 21-year-old won a national street skating title.
He also had some advice for aspiring skateboarders.
"The main thing is there's a lot of pain involved," he said.
"You just can't give up; nothing comes without pain.
"Just keep motivated, and everything pays off. Just be patient."
Campbell visited Shellharbour Skate Park on Wednesday as Shellharbour City Council launched the inaugural Shellharbour Surf and Skate Festival.
Campbell will participate in the festival, which runs from December 7 to 15.
It will bring together the region's best skateboarders, surfers, artists and musicians across more than a week of competitions, events, workshops and exhibitions.
The festival will feature a Skate Street Comp, free workshops and demonstrations; Skate Bowl Comp, free workshops and demonstrations; Hidden Forest Music Festival and South Coast Boardriders Challenge.
Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said the event was an exciting opportunity to bring the community together, as well as attract new visitors to celebrate the diverse talents and natural areas the city has to offer.
"Shellharbour Surf and Skate is a fantastic example of how the city is embracing the future, creating opportunities for young sportspeople and creatives, and taking exciting new approaches to further enhance our city's culture," Cr Saliba said.
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Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
