On 27 April 2013, he had a motorcycle accident Wollongong, New South Wales resulted in him breaking his T11 vertebra and becoming a paraplegic.

At the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing Europa Cup in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, he finished fourth in the men’s Super-G.[1] He is coached by Chris McKnight.

[1] In 2017, Australian National University engineering students undertook a project to design and manufacture a lower leg protective enclosure for him to use while sit skiing.

[7] During the nation's pandemic in 2021, a University of New South Wales engineering group underwent a student project to design and manufacture a suitable prototype for a fixed rowing seat in Sam's possible transition to Olympic rowing.

The student group included a partner of the manufacturing company ProtoMake, Michael Salem along with Mechatronic / Biomedical Engineer and designer for disability Phillip Ringer accompanied by designers Siddh Rawal, Sinead McCraith and Harry Boot.