In September 2023, Fletcher Crowley, an Australian, sustained a severe spinal cord injury after attempting a double backflip on his mountain bike, landing on his neck. The injury left him almost entirely paralyzed from the waist down. While his brain still sends some signals to his lower body, allowing him to stand, he can only walk 10 meters before becoming exhausted.

During a six-month intensive rehabilitation program, Crowley reconnected with his former schoolmate, Lachie Bennett. Their shared passion for travel and adventure brought them closer, eventually sparking an ambitious plan.

Initially, they planned a short trip to South America. However, a multi-stop flight promotion changed their itinerary. For 2,800 AUD (1,480 USD) per person, they purchased tickets to four continents earlier this year. The duo documented their journey on their Instagram channel, twomates1chair, which has garnered over 140,000 followers.

Their first stop was Hong Kong, where Bennett carried Crowley on his back for 30 minutes to ascend the 268 wet, slippery steps leading to the Big Buddha. Together, they conquered Victoria Peak, 360 meters high, via a steep path that left Bennett's calves burning and Crowley's hands completely numb.

Leaving Hong Kong, they flew to Italy, arriving just in time for the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan. They carried each other into the stands to cheer for the sit-skiing event.

"We didn't know where we would end up," Crowley said. "The next thing we knew, we were on top of the Dolomites, looking out at an incredibly majestic landscape of rolling mountains."

When a local in the Dolomites offered them a sledding experience, Crowley left his wheelchair behind, relying on Bennett to help him navigate the snow to enjoy the scenic mountain views from the summit. They also explored Venice by gondola and navigated Amsterdam's canals using a rented cargo bike.

Crowley in his wheelchair, holding a sheep for a commemorative photo with a fellow Australian and Bennett (far right) at a sheep farm in Biarritz, France. Photo: CNN

In the French Riviera, they devised a clever method for quick movement: Crowley sat in his wheelchair, gripping Bennett's shirt as Bennett rode an electric bicycle along the pedestrian paths in Nice. To stay at a 10th-century chapel atop a hill with 1,000 steps, Crowley held onto the back of the owner's Land Cruiser to be pulled up the slope, before Bennett carried him through the winding stairs to the front door.

"There was no disabled access there, but that never stopped us," Crowley said. "There were stairs everywhere, but with Lachie carrying me and me scooting on my bottom, we made it."

Bennett carries his friend in the snowy Dolomites mountains in Italy. Photo: CNN

Bennett carries his friend while traveling in Brazil. Photo: CNN

Crowley in his wheelchair, holding onto Bennett who is riding an electric bicycle along the Riviera beach, France. Photo: CNN

The friends' vehicle encountered an issue after hitting a pothole in Brazil and required assistance. Photo: CNN

Bennett carries Crowley up 268 steps to the mountain to see the Buddha statue in Hong Kong. Photo: CNN

The two friends pose for a souvenir photo at a road sign on a mountain pass in Spain, located in the rugged Pyrenees mountains. Photo: CNN

Bennett (left) and Crowley paragliding along the coast in Nice, France. Photo: CNN

The friends at the Colosseum in Italy during their European road trip. Photo: CNN

Their journey was not only about scenic beauty but also about human connection. In Switzerland, a local family invited the two friends to their home after their 10-year-old son saw their video on social media. They shared a warm family meal and participated in community activities.

In France, a fellow Australian hosted them at a remote sheep farm near Biarritz, which Crowley described as one of their "most unexpected and memorable" stops. Crowley fitted an off-road wheel to the front of his wheelchair, making it easier for Bennett to push him through the dry grass in the barn.

"I had to sit still most of the time because as soon as I moved, the sheep would get scared," Crowley recounted. "Some animals see the wheelchair and run away quickly because it's unfamiliar to them."

Despite the highlights, the trip presented practical challenges. In South America, their all-terrain buggy unexpectedly flipped two times into a tree after hitting a pothole. The accident left them stranded in the Brazilian bush for six hours without cell service or water, their wheelchair 96 kilometers away at their accommodation.

Fortunately, neither sustained serious injuries. They were eventually rescued and continued an 18-hour drive to Florianopolis island.

Their final leg in South Africa concluded with thrilling experiences: shark cage diving in Gansbaai, a safari and lion viewing at Amakhala Wildlife Reserve, and carrying each other to the 200-meter summit of Cape Point to overlook the Atlantic Ocean.

Returning home to Sydney in May, the friends reflected that the trip went more smoothly than anticipated, with no serious injuries, illnesses, or thefts. However, they did face invisible barriers, from South African airlines charging unreasonable medical baggage fees to people often ignoring Crowley and addressing Bennett as an intermediary, and skeptical glances from onlookers as they carried each other up mountains.

Above all, Crowley and Bennett's journey challenged conventional notions about limitations and disability inclusion.

"As long as you have someone willing to help, the world out there becomes much more open for people like me," Crowley shared about his best friend. "I would never have done it without Lachie."

Bennett mused, "Whether in a wheelchair or not, in the end, all of us need a helping hand sometimes."

By Hong Hanh, adapted from CNN and The Nine