38-year-old Simon Shabangu is striving towards his goal of becoming a world champion in wheelchair tennis. Active in sports since he was young, Simon was run over by a car while he was cycling when he was 15 years old. One leg was amputated three years after the accident after treatments failed, and the other was amputated 5 years after that.
Since the surgeries, Simon developed a newfound appreciation towards his body and the possibilities it can achieve.
“I learned to let go of everything that happened to me and not to let my insecurities hold me back from truly flourishing in my new body. I began to love my body again, to respect that after all I had been through, it was strong and powerful and defying all expectations.”
With that, he started getting back into sports. Initially trying out wheelchair basketball, Simon decided that wheelchair tennis was better suited for him. Besides wheelchair tennis, Simon also keeps himself busy with other sports such as weightlifting and martial arts, truly pushing his body to the limits.
By being active in sports, Simon also wishes to be an example to empower others like him to challenge themselves and to embrace their potential.
“I don’t want to see disabled people lock themselves in their homes, hiding from the world. There are many things disabled people can still do for themselves and be a part of. For example, I don’t have legs, but I have hands, and I use them to protect myself by taking part in martial arts training. I want to teach other disabled people that they can still do anything they set their minds to, regardless of their disability.”
Aside from empowering through sports, Simon hopes to one day be able to start a company that helps people with disabilities discover opportunities and prosper. In the meantime, he also motivates people through speaking. “I give motivational speeches to people with disabilities where I tell them to remember that their lives aren’t over just because they are disabled. I want them to know they can do anything they set their minds to,” he says.
Simon also feels very lucky to be supported along the way by his family and community in reaching his dreams, and it is their support that continues to “motivate [him] to keep going.”
“There is a large community out there who are eager to help you, there are also several support networks where you can talk to people who understand what you are going through,” he shares. “All you have to do is to accept your body and take charge of your life.”
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