James became a quadriplegic as a result of an accident in Zambia while travelling around Africa.

Waiting to go Tiger fishing on the mighty Zambezi River on a terribly hot day, James merely fainted whilst sitting on a stool, falling backward onto hard sand.

The result of this seemingly innocuous occurrence was catastrophic. The impact of the fall severely bruised his spinal cord and broke his C4 and C5 vertebrae, leaving James with voluntary movement only from his shoulders up.

Due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the location, it was 30 hours before James reached fully qualified medical care. This delay worsened his condition by causing fluid to collect in his lungs, leading to respiratory complications.

The Puffin Magic Foundation was established soon after James' return to Australia in 2008. Its aim is to harness the personal efforts and financial contributions of the various groups of people who have expressed a desire to provide support to James in a way which will maximize the amount of support that can ultimately be delivered to James.

The Management Committee was established with members drawn from among James's closest friends - Brad Wheaton and Angus McGeoch - and friends of James's immediate family - Bob Allen and John Fenton.