Eight months after a near-fatal accident, Clive completed Ride Joburg with friends and family, raising funds and awareness for Little Eden, a centre supporting 300 children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities.
South Africa (18 November 2025) – When cyclists lined up for this year’s Ride Joburg, few stories rose above the stopwatch. One was of Clive van der Vyver and the growing community riding beside him. Just months earlier, Clive had woken up in a hospital bed with no memory of the accident that nearly took his life. Today, he is using that same journey of survival to amplify the work of Little Eden, an NGO caring for people with severe intellectual disabilities and is regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost centres for specialised care.
On 27 February, Clive was riding with members of his social cycling group when a car ploughed into them in Edenvale.
“I remember helping Aidan fix his chain towards the end of the ride, and that’s essentially the last thing I remember. I woke up two weeks later in hospital.”
Both he and fellow rider Aidan Braun were critically injured. Clive spent a month in ICU with multiple injuries, including a badly broken leg. The emotional disorientation of those first days stays with him.
What followed was a long, grinding recovery marked by painful milestones.
“When you realise for the first time that you can brush your teeth again after a month, the gratitude that spills out of you is incredible.”
Throughout this journey, his support system became his anchor. Both family and friends.
Clive set modest expectations. Be at the start line, maybe reach 30 kilometres. But on race day, something extraordinary unfolded. The entire group stayed with him.
“Nobody rode their own race. When I was tired, they stopped. If we had to push, they pushed. They literally pushed me to the finish line.”
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At the 74km mark, exhausted and ready to quit, the group refused to let him.
What makes the story even more meaningful is that Clive rode to raise funds for Little Eden.
In a conversation with Little Eden representatives Nadine Ackerman and Michael Mathole, it became clear why this cause matters deeply to so many cyclists.
The organisation places emphasis on the abilities of each resident, rather than their limitations.
Michael spoke about how the cyclists symbolised the organisation’s mission simply through how they treated each other on the road.
“When Clive was left behind, the group regrouped and rallied behind him, holding hands side by side as they climbed the hill. It demonstrated the lifelong support we provide to our residents.”
Reflecting on this year’s Ride Joburg, Nadine shared how the experience challenged people’s assumptions.
“What struck me this year was how quickly people realised that ability isn’t always what it looks like from the outside. Clive arriving with a bike and crutches said everything. You can’t judge someone’s story just by seeing them at a glance.”
Little Eden also hopes stories like Clive’s help shift public attitudes toward intellectual disabilities. Many people still misunderstand the lived reality of those with profound disabilities.
From the trauma of a near-fatal crash to crossing the Ride Joburg finish line surrounded by love. Clive’s journey embodies the very values Little Eden holds dear. Resilience and a belief in the inherent worth of every person.
To learn more about Little Eden or to support their work, visit www.littleeden.org.zaor call 011 608 7300.
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