"I was young and crazy and was skiing somewhere I shouldn't have been in Lebanon and I fell 14 meters,"
"I was broken. I broke my hips in four places. My left leg was 40% paralysed, I tore my urethra, had internal bleeding, broke my elbow and my hand."
"In the first year, I was trying to ski on cross-country skis but I couldn't move more than 10 meters (32.8 feet), my left leg couldn't handle it and I kept falling down."
"I started with small steps and when I saw even tiny progress, I was so happy and motivated."
Samer Tawk, a 27-year-old cross-country skier, is preparing to represent Lebanon at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. In 2019 he fell 14 meters while skiing and suffered catastrophic injuries, including hips broken in four places, 40% paralysis in his left leg, a torn urethra, internal bleeding, and fractures to his elbow and hand. He spent over a week in intensive care and faced doubts about survival and disability. Recovery was gradual: he focused on small steps, initially managing only short distances on skis, and after about three and a half years regained the ability to train seriously and pursue competition.
Read at www.dw.com
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