THREE years and two days after being "scraped off the road", Bonny Hills' Trent Milton will march at the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony as a proud Aussie.
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"For sure I'll be walking in the opening ceremony. Nothing will stop that," Milton said.
The 41-year-old will compete in the snowboard cross in Russia as one of Australia's 11-strong team.
The snowboarders 14-year-old Ben Tudhope and 19-year-old Joany Badenhorst hit the slopes on March 14.
In the meantime, Milton is soaking up all that Sochi offers.
Having arrived on Monday from his pre-Games training base of Zurich, Milton spent time adjusting to life in the rarefied atmosphere at the skiing base of Rosa Khutor.
There's been a welcoming ceremony, a meet and greet with the Games mascots Snowflake and Sunray, plenty of media appointments plus the announcement of Australia's flag-bearer.
Cameron Rahles-Rahbula, a three-time Paralympian, was named as the man to carry the flag but a training accident has thrown a spanner in those works.
Latest reports, however, suggest Rahles-Rahbula, an alpine skier, will remain the flagbearer at the opening ceremony and hopefully compete later in the competition.
"Let's see where he's at in a couple of days," Milton said. "He came out of retirement for the games, has competed in three games and won two golds last time in Vancouver. Good on him, I reckon," Milton said.
The Aussie's first day on the snow was in "heavy, heavy rain" but the weather, which reminded him of Snowy Mountains, is the last thing on Milton's mind.
He's spent time with prosthetic specialists to iron out mechanical issues with his leg and soaked in a team talk.
"They presented us with a glass medallion for athletes only, which was very special," Milton said. "We were also spoken to about what a privilege it is to be representing Australia. You don't have to tell me that twice - I should be dead!
Milton, who at that time was a professional snowboarder, was involved in a devastating car accident south of Port Macq uarie's outskirts in 2011.
Not only did he end up with an acquired brain injury, his body was smashed and his leg amputated below the knee.
He hasn't been able to return to his job at Bunnings Port Macquarie, but acknowledges the support of his former colleagues and his family and friends in his rehabilitation.
"My life changed forever on March 5, 2011. So to have another three years of life is great but to reach the Paralympics says a lot about my 'glass half full' approach to life. I'm living every day to the fullest."
ABC1 has the free to air rights for the Paralympics and will broadcast the opening ceremony live from 3am on Saturday. Check program guides for details.
