Rosalina Oktavia, leg amputation and model was the ikon Asian Paragames 2018
Rosalina Oktavia finds strength in sharing her story with her online community she said: Whether you are disabled, fat, thin, tall or short, it is crucial to understand that you are beautiful and that you can always be proud of yourself, no matter what. Life is too short to worry about your body, so you must always keep smiling and think positively. Don’t care what others think about you and never give up on your dreams!
Jessica Long, with double amputation, is a paraswimming medallist
One of America’s most decorated athletes of all-time, a speaker, author, advocate and sports personality. She said: “With the never ending support of my family, I understood that the only thing that was going to impact my future was my attitude towards my life.”
Emery Vanderburgh, had her leg amputated and explores disability representation
Emery Vanderburgh co-founded the advocacy group Ampuseek because of the challenges she faced getting funding for a prosthetic leg.
Jess Quinn, lost her right leg to cancer at the age of 9
Jess Quinn has a passion for helping people overcome adversity and insecurity using her own experiences. Since losing her right leg to cancer at the age of 9, Jess has refused to let that stand in her way of living life to its fullest with a core passion for helping others overcome their physical and mental setbacks along the way.
Lauren Wasser, lost her legs to toxic shock syndrome
Brought up in LA, the athletic daughter of two former models, Wasser turned down a basketball scholarship to embark on her own career in fashion. “Growing up, [my body] was something that I thought was untouchable,” she muses. After her amputation, Wasser describes how she had to rebuild herself “from the inside out and really see what life was about – that it was about so much more than just the physical form”.
Russ Foxx, “I define myself as a transhumanist, I evolve with technology and time”
Russ Foxx, using body modification to enhance human abilities. He defined himself as a transhumanist.
Lary León Molina, with multiple amputation. A positive attitude that breaks the mold
What is normal and what is different? When someone’s life changes and is exposed to unexpected circumstances, it’s hard to trust that there are other ways of doing things, other ways to remain useful. Love, tenacity and imagination are the weapons used by Lary, a very special mermaid who is capable of showing that being “different” strengthens and enriches, not only oneself but everyone around her. The universe provides us with infinite capacities, we are the ones who decide to take advantage of them, or not.
Haven Shepherd, the US swimmer paralympian who survived a family suicide attempt in early age
“My parents detonated a bomb inside our tiny, thatched roof hut. I was supposed to die that night.” “I don’t remember the explosion. It’s strange to know something so traumatic happened to you that you shouldn’t be alive, but you have no memory of it. Even though it changed the trajectory of my life in the most profound way. One
Footless Jo’s’ brave leap of faith
Beckwith has turned those hard-fought lessons into her life’s work. She describes herself as an advocate, writer and public speaker “who passionately believes in the incredibly perseverant capacity of the human soul.”
Samantha Tokita McLean, content creator and disability advocate
Little leg, big attitude. Muaythai fighter congenital amputee portrait photographer. Content creator and disability advocate.
John Edward Heath, after having his leg amputated, this former Marine won’t let anything stop him
“I’m the first amputee a lot of pro athletes have ever seen, let alone lifting the amount of weight that I do,” said Heath. “They don’t know the struggle of what it is being an amputee, and wearing a prosthetic. When I take off my running blade and take off my stump sleeve, and they see a large-scale of skin and blisters, they’re like, ‘Yo, what?’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ And they’re like, ‘How are you training on that?’ It just opened up a whole different conversation.”
Bethany Hamilton, shark attack survivor
On October 31, 2003, Hamilton went surfing off Makua (Tunnels) Beach on Kauai. As she was paddling on her surfboard, a 14-foot (4.3-meter) tiger shark attacked. It bit off her left arm just below the shoulder. Friends immediately called for help, and Hamilton was rushed to the hospital. She lost more than half the blood in her body and underwent several surgeries. Miraculously, she was able to return to surfing a month later. Within the year she was once again entering competitions. She adjusted her technique to compensate for the lost limb. In 2005 she won a national surfing title and joined the professional ranks two years later.
Jack Eyers, having a disability doesn’t need to hold you back
Jack Eyers is a double World Champion after a huge couple of years racing the men’s VL3 200m.
His most recent success was in Halifax, Canada, after an incredible run in an exhilarating final saw him obtain the World title for a second time running, holding off the fight from the rest of the field to get ahead by just 0.16 seconds.
2021 saw Jack claim his first World title in Copenhagen, with Jack producing his trademark strong second half of the race to claw back the advantage and pip his British teammate Stu Wood on the line and claim the world crown. Jack concluded the 2022 season with a European best time as he powered to gold in Munich and cap off a fantastic year. In 2018, his first international season racing in canoeing, Jack won both European and World Championships bronze medals in the V1 200m VL3 class, a hugely impressive achievement. Fun fact about Jack aside from the sport, he became the first amputee to be crowned Mr England back in 2017.
Jack joined the Podium Potential Programme in 2018 having first began his sporting career in wheelchair basketball. He also competed in wheelchair racing, athletics, rowing and swimming but now believes he has found his sporting home in canoeing.
Kanya Sesser, demonstrated that physical differences are not limits in life
During the first year of being adopted it was hard to connect with my new family. My first language was Thai, I had to learn English and I didn’t develop full English until I was about nine years old.
In school I had many friends but I was scared to go to birthday parties and I was shy to meet new people. I was never been bullied, but questioned and looked at, and those things are typical for me, nothing has changed.
But life was amazing in high school. I was a jock, going to all-state championships, had lots of people around me and went to many parties. Those were the years I lived my life carefree.