How it began
One Friday morning in November 2015, I was the victim of a home invasion. At the time, I was working as a communications manager for an emergency response company; my cousin (who is also my caregiver) and I were about to leave for a meeting when we were ambushed by a thief.
He forced my cousin back into the house and I was trapped in the car for about 45 minutes, unable to call for help because he'd also taken my phone. Violent crime is a reality of life in South Africa and I fully expected that both of us would die that day.
Fortunately, my colleague got suspicious when I didn't show up for the meeting and came to investigate. After attemping to flee, the thief was caught and arrested.
Surviving that experience had a profound effect on my emotions, but above all, one thought kept running through my head; I never want to feel this helpless again.
So, I did something I thought was crazy; I approached my friend, Sabum Sean Cremer, a 4th dan blackbelt in Taekwon-Do and asked him to teach me how to defend myself. I've loved martial arts since I was a child, but honestly thought he would refuse. I expected him to say something like, "You're a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic, there's nothing I can do with you." However, he took me completely by surprise and said yes. Thus, my life-changing journey began. I now hold the rank of yellowbelt, but the impact that training has made goes far beyond combat.
Giving Hope to Others
I have come to see that my purpose in life is to give hope to others by sharing my experiences - struggles and triumphs alike. I invite you to follow me in whatever comes next!
