Injured Kiwi wakeboarder Brad Smeele is "stoked" to be returning to New Zealand after three months in a rehabilitation centre in the United States.
The 27-year-old shattered his C4 vertebra during a wakeboarding training session in the US in July, but is determined to beat the odds and continue his recovery in Auckland.
Last night, the Aucklander boarded an Air New Zealand jet to come home, accompanied by his mother, Linda.
The pair had earlier flown from Atlanta to Los Angeles to catch the flight to Auckland.
Mr Smeele's US girlfriend, Talor Reazin, has supported him in his recovery, and his sister Monique said they were planning a date for her to visit him in New Zealand once he was settled.
Mr Smeele had eight hours of surgery and spent six weeks in intensive care in Orlando before rehabilitation at the Shepherd Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.
On his arrival at 7.30am today, he will be taken to Middlemore Hospital for two days before moving to the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit in Otara.
In a message to followers on his Facebook page, Mr Smeele said he was "stoked to be going home to New Zealand to continue working towards getting on my feet ... ".
He was also "beyond grateful for the amazing support" he had in the US and promised to return.
Air New Zealand crew replied to his post, saying they would be working on his flight and would ensure that he had a safe and comfortable journey home.
Despite initially being told he was a quadriplegic and had only a 1 to 2 per cent chance of regaining movement in the top half of his body, the former junior world champion was given a glimpse of hope in August when he felt goose bumps in his lower body - something people with complete paralysis do not feel.
Mr Smeele earlier told the Herald that he faced a long road to recovery and it would be two years before he had a good idea what the final outcome was likely to be.
The public have rallied behind Mr Smeele and yesterday his Givealittle.co.nz fundraising page showed $214,740 had been raised to help with his treatment, rehabilitation and the flight home.