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Katelyn Catanzariti

Loss of his 'biggest fan' drives motorcyclist McDonald

Motorcycle racer Archie McDonald, whose brother died by suicide, is joining the Push-Up Challenge. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

When Archie McDonald talks about his older brother Toby, he doesn't begin with the tragedy that changed his life forever.

He begins with the boy who taught him everything.

"He's my big brother. There's no other relationship like it," the 22-year-old Australian motorcycle racer tells AAP.

"You grow up with friends, you grow up with your parents but the one person that's there the longest is your siblings.

"He had, what, three years on me, and he taught me everything."

The brothers spent their childhood riding motorcycles together in the backyard of the family's home near Albury, with Toby inspiring the career that has since taken McDonald to racetracks around the world.

He is now one of Australia's rising motorcycle racing stars, having joined Joe Rascal Racing for the inaugural FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup. 

He made history in March by winning the championship's first-ever race at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.

But weeks after that win, McDonald's world changed forever when his brother died by suicide.

McDonald, his parents and sister were left floundering and trying to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.

"I couldn't believe it," he says.

"(I had) him watching me from literally my first-ever ride to now. And the worst part is never having him watch again - my number one biggest fan never watching me again. So yeah, it's heartbreaking."

James Tonna and Archie McDonald
Joe Rascal Racing chief James Tonna says Archie McDonald is "one of the world's nicest people". (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

In the midst of that grief, McDonald reached a simple conclusion: while nothing could change what happened to his brother, there was still time to stop another family from suffering the same heartbreak.

"It was such an eye-opener to see what I saw and realise that life's so short," McDonald says.

"I thought it's so unfair to know that not only my brother, but other people go through what they go through and it (feels like there's) no other way than to do what they have to do.

"I couldn't even accept it. I couldn't believe that someone has so much pain and it's unbearable for him."

Rather than retreat from the spotlight, the Australian rider - who is in Assen, The Netherlands, leading the world title standings as he competes in the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup - has chosen to use his growing profile to encourage Australians to talk openly about mental health.

"I feel like I've got a bit of a following online that I can utilise to promote this. I'm not going to let it go to waste," says McDonald, who is taking part in the Push-Up Challenge to raise money for mental health.

"Mental health's real. No one believes it until it happens to them.

"And the reason I'm so open about my experience is to show them that it's real. It's happened to me. And there's nothing I can do. It's gone. It's happened.

"But they can. Anyone and everyone can do something about it and they can change someone's whole life."

The Push-Up Challenge
The Push-Up Challenge encourages Australians to complete 3307 push-ups across 24 days. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

As well as his regular videos encouraging participation and fundraising, McDonald's Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson is carrying a special Push-Up Challenge livery at the Dutch MotoGP round to help spread the message to millions of fans worldwide.

The challenge encourages Australians to complete 3307 push-ups across 24 days, honouring the 3307 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2024 while raising awareness and funds for mental health organisations.

Joe Rascal Racing chief executive and co-founder James Tonna says supporting the campaign is easy because it reflects the person McDonald is away from the racetrack.

"The thing that really stands out about Archie is he's funny, he's a good guy, he's stupidly fast and crazy," Tonna tells AAP.

"But the amount of love and passion this kid has - he'll never walk past (someone who needs help).

"That's just the person he is. He's just one of the world's nicest people."

Joe Rascal himself said the campaign perfectly reflected the team's philosophy of encouraging people to be the best version of themselves, using one of motorsport's biggest stages to promote positive conversations around mental health and help more people live better lives.

As McDonald continues his remarkable championship campaign, his brother is never far from his thoughts.

"I know he would be definitely there right on the bike with me," he says.

"He'd be watching and he'd be enjoying it with me.

"His name is on my helmet, and yeah, I'll hold that there for the rest of my life."

Lifeline 13 11 14

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