Person of the Year finalists - Bryce Dinneen

Bryce Dinneen.

BRYCE DINNEEN

When Bryce Dinneen broke his neck eight years ago, he was left a tetraplegic.

But the freak accident, which happened while he was swimming in shallow waters in Wellington Harbour, heightened rather than dulled his love of the sea.

Mr Dinneen spent a year in Burwood spinal unit in Christchurch and says he had plenty of time to reflect while in traction.

"I came up with [an] idea that allows people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities and impairments, the ability, the access, and the opportunity to enjoy and partake in saltwater recreational activities," he says.

Mr Dinneen, 36, continued his rehabilitation in Tauranga and dreamed of taking people with disabilities on fishing trips so they could experience "the simple pleasures of the ocean".

Three years ago, he established Wish 4 Fish, a charitable trust which now provides charters on three wheelchair-accessible boats that it hires in Tauranga and the Coromandel. The trust aims for one trip a month and caters for five to six people at a time.

Says the woman who nominated Mr Dinneen for Person of the Year: "He is my inspiration in life and continues to amaze me with all he achieves every year."