Last December, Jackson dived into the river in Echuca and hit a sandbank, shattering his C5 vertebrae.

"As soon as I dived in I heard a crunch and I knew something was wrong,'' Jackson recalled on Friday.

"As soon as I heard that I was worried about drowning rather than how serious the injuries were.

"I was face down in the water for a couple of minutes until one of my mates ran into the water and rolled me on to my back and dragged me on to the bank.

"I was awake for the whole thing until the ambulance got there and then I was in and out of it while I was in the chopper on the way to the hospital (The Alfred)."

Jackson had an operation that night to relieve the pressure on his spine before being moved to The Austin Hospital four days later for more surgery.

That's when doctors informed Jackson's parents of the extent of his injuries.

"A team of specialists told us that he had less than 10 per cent chance of walking again, a 10 per cent chance he'd use his hands again and a 15 per cent chance he'd use his arms again,'' Jackson's father Cam said.

"It was devastating. All you want to do as a parent is change positions with him because you want him to have the same opportunities that you've had."

Jackson knew bad news was coming, but he made a pact with himself to stay positive no matter what the outcome was.

"When they first told me it was confronting, but within 20 minutes or so all I could think about was trying to defeat those odds,'' Jackson said.

"I thought 'stuff this' I'm going to prove you wrong."

With no movement in his legs at all, Jackson's first focus was his upper body strength.

"It started with little things like trying to stack little blocks,'' Jackson said.

"Then it was stacking five cent coins, picking up golf tees and putting them in little holes.

"It was about motor skills and getting better bit by bit."

Jackson didn't have movement in his legs for two-and-a-half months after the incident.

"I always had feeling in my arms, but they've gradually got stronger,'' Jackson said.

"The first time I could move my legs it was pretty weird.

"It wasn't as though I could move my whole leg. I could move my toes and then within an hour I could move my ankle.

"Two or three weeks later I could lift my leg up from a sitting position to a horizontal position."

Jackson's hard work and commitment has seen him make staggering progress in the past 10 weeks.

"The consultant thought I'd get no movement in my legs. I'm now leg pressing 40kg to 50kg,'' Jackson said.

"I can use my legs to a fair extent and my arm movement is pretty good, except for my triceps.

"My hand movement is good - I can basically do what I did before. I can now cook my own breakfast, feed myself, brush my teeth and get dressed.

"I'm at the point where I'm pretty independent."

With the help of a machine, Jackson can now stand up again. His major goal is to walk again.

"Every time I have a physio session it usually includes some standing,'' Jackson said.

"It might involve a machine or even just having a bench to lean on so I don't fall forward or back. I'm getting there."

Jackson's mental strength to fight back from his life-changing accident is inspiring.

"I am (proud of myself), but if it wasn't for Mum and Dad I wouldn't have been able to do what I've done,'' Jackson said.

His experience in hospital in Melbourne has also made him thankful for what he can do.

"I'm one of the lucky ones,'' Jackson admitted.

"I have friends here (in hospital) that can't move their legs or some can't even feel their legs."

Jackson's mother Natalie, stepmother Melanie, girlfriend Courtney, brothers Tom and Sam and sister Amaya have joined Cam and a host of Jack's friends to form an integral support group for Jack.

"I'm meant to be his hero, but it's the other way around,'' a proud Cam said.

"Jackson has taken the approach that he'll do everything on his rehab program and more.

"The doctors are tickled pink with the progress he's made, but we know there's a long still to go."

Davie's story will motivate Bridgewater FNC for Saturday's clash with Marong.

Jackson will return to his home football club on Saturday for the first time since suffering his injury where he'll give a pre-match talk to the players and toss the coin.

Bridgewater FNC is dedicating Saturday's game to Jackson.

With medical bills mounting for Jackson's family, Bridgewater FNC is donating half of the gate takings to the family, while the senior footballers are donating match payments.

"The community has bound together and we're running a raffle as well,'' Bridgewater FNC president Gary Walters said.

"As a club we want to help as much as we can. This is why you get involved in clubs.

"When things go wrong for someone in your community you find out what your club is all about. You stand up and support your community members.

"It won't be the last thing we do, we have some other ideas that we'd like to proceed with going forward."

Bridgewater FNC has also used Jackson's personal motto "fight 4 every inch" for inspiration this season by printing it on their training shirts.

"Courtney came up with the slogan - all credit to her,'' Jackson said.

"I wanted to start an Instagram page (to keep friends updated on his progress) and it dawned on me that "Fight 4 Every Inch' was the perfect name for the page.

"What Bridgewater footy club is doing is amazing and United Cricket Club has been great as well.

"To have the community support like that has been fantastic."

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.