Behind South African adventure rider Joey Evans’ love for Namibia’s remote trails and endless dunes lies a remarkable story of courage, determination and an obsession with achieving a dream that once appeared impossible.
Joey Evans turns a devastating crash into a decade-long fight for his dream. He is the author of From Para to Dakar, the bestselling book documenting his extraordinary journey from a devastating motorcycle crash to competing in the legendary Dakar Rally.
In 2007, Evans’ life changed dramatically when he was involved in a motorcycle racing accident that left him with a serious spinal cord injury and paralysed from below the chest. Doctors warned that he might never walk or feel his legs again. But Evans refused to accept that his riding career, or his life, was over.
Following spinal fusion surgery and months of rehabilitation, he gradually regained the ability to walk. Because his spinal injury was incomplete, he was able to continue his recovery and eventually began working his way back onto a motorcycle. His ultimate goal remained the same: Dakar.
It took Evans 10 years from the day of his accident to reach the starting line of the gruelling rally, a 9 000-kilometre test of endurance, skill and survival. But simply qualifying was not the end of the battle. During the rally, Evans faced another extraordinary setback when his motorcycle was hit and crushed by a rally car, leaving him stranded and seemingly out of the race.
Yet the Dakar dream was achieved. Since completing the rally, Evans has continued pushing himself through international motorcycle adventures, including the Baja 1000 in Mexico and riding and racing across North Africa and the Sahara. Asked whether he would attempt Dakar again, however, Evans had a very different answer. “Hell no!”
For him, the legendary rally remains an incredible achievement, but also an extraordinarily demanding two-week ordeal. Today, Evans uses his experience to inspire others as an internationally sought-after speaker, author and adventurer, drawing lessons from his recovery and Dakar journey to encourage people to pursue their own goals.
His story has also earned major recognition, including induction into the Southern Africa Speakers Hall of Fame and awards for his contribution to South African motorsport. Now riding through Namibia with international adventure riders, Evans is enjoying a different kind of challenge, sharing the country’s landscapes and experiences with friends.
His message remains simple: get out, travel, meet people, experience different cultures and discover the world. And after everything he has overcome, Evans has another message for Namibians: “You live in a special place.”
By Rudi Bowe
