Jake Bilsborow finished work at his landscaping job at about 1pm in Adelaide Hills on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old told Daily Mail Australia it was a blisteringly-hot day and went with two friends to a Bridgewater waterhole - a place he d been visiting since he was a child.
He always climbed right to the top to jump from the highest rock, but on that day, the talented sportsman decided to do a flip into the water.
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Pictured: Jake Bilsborow, 18, with his girlfriend Ellen Dawson, 17, months before he broke his back
Pictured: Jake Bilsborow (left) and his friend Charlie (right) at Bridgewater water hole. Mr Bilsborow tried to flip 6m into the water
Pictured: Jake Bilsborow before the accident
A teenage football star months from cracking the AFL will never walk again after he plunged six metres into waterhole and severed his spinal cord.
Jake Bilsborow knocked off early on Wednesday and headed to the popular swimming in Bridgewater in Adelaide Hills to cool off with some friends.
The 18-year-old took a running jump to launch himself into the water, but slipped on some wet leaves and plummeted into the rocks below.
He was lucky to be alive after breaking his back, scalp, collar bones, two ribs, and his spinal cord, but is struggling with the idea that he will never use his legs again.