A ticket for Esneider's BIG dream
Donation protected
Help Esneider be the hero for Colombia
Usually, we follow a dream but sometimes the dream finds you.
This, in a nutshell, is a story of Esneider, a wheelchair rugby player living in Toronto, Canada.
Just a year ago, in Montreal, Esneider was invited by a friend to play basketball. During the game, the friend was observing his playing style and noticed certain attributes which were excellent for rugby.
So, with his help, Esneider was introduced to the sport which changed his life. In the beginning of 2017, he started out as a complete beginner, who had no idea how rugby was played but, despite that, exhibited uninhibited raw talent on the field.
His performance impressed his fellow players so much that they invited him to play in Quebec, where he was introduced to the coach of the province and subsequently recruited to play for the team.
Grateful for the opportunity, he soon proved his worth. In May 2017, Esneider participated in the national championship where he and his team won!
The success he achieved playing for Quebec enriched his life so much that he decided to open the doors for others. As an immigrant from Colombia, he often struggled with the language barrier and therefore his long-term ambition was to work as a translator. In order to do that, he decided to move to Toronto where he could improve English his speaking abilities and find opportunities for anyone looking to enter this field.
The transition was anything but easy. The first hurdle was finding a place to live with proper facilities for wheelchair users. In the end, he was only able to get a 3rd floor walk up, difficult for anyone in a wheelchair. On the top of that, the location of his new place was really inconvenient and he had to wheel himself several miles a day to and from the training centers.
However, he did not let any of this stop him. In fact, he turned the disadvantage into opportunity. His daily activities were a form of extreme exercise that helped build strength in his arms which is just what he needed to stand out as a rugby player.
In Toronto, he joined second division of Ontario wheelchair rugby team, coached by one of the best players to ever play the game in Canada. He progressed fast and recently, he started to train with the first division of the national team.
His talent and hard work did not just attracted attention in Canada.
The news about a Latin rugby player with great potential traveled as far as Colombia, Esneider's motherland.
Recently, a coach of their national team contacted him with a proposal to represent his country in a tournament in Chile taking place next month. If his performance is good enough he will be recruited to be a part of the national team representing the country in the Panam Games 2019.
Esneider has all the talent and work ethic to grab this opportunity, unfortunately, travel and training expenses are too high to cover on his own.
We are not asking for a handout, but a hand up!
Esneider is one of the most resilient, hard-working individuals anyone would ever have the pleasure to meet. He has proven time and again that every hurdle can be overcome.
Esneider suffers from a degenerative disease that has left him disabled and in a wheelchair for many years. Amazingly, he does not see his wheelchair as an obstacle, but rather as an accessory to his life, which has now given him an opportunity to represent his beloved country.
Every donation to this campaign get him a step closer towards his ultimate goal. We truly believe HE DESERVES IT!
We would also appreciate if you shared this campaign via your social media for others to see and get inspired by his extraordinary achievements.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Usually, we follow a dream but sometimes the dream finds you.
This, in a nutshell, is a story of Esneider, a wheelchair rugby player living in Toronto, Canada.
Just a year ago, in Montreal, Esneider was invited by a friend to play basketball. During the game, the friend was observing his playing style and noticed certain attributes which were excellent for rugby.
So, with his help, Esneider was introduced to the sport which changed his life. In the beginning of 2017, he started out as a complete beginner, who had no idea how rugby was played but, despite that, exhibited uninhibited raw talent on the field.
His performance impressed his fellow players so much that they invited him to play in Quebec, where he was introduced to the coach of the province and subsequently recruited to play for the team.
Grateful for the opportunity, he soon proved his worth. In May 2017, Esneider participated in the national championship where he and his team won!
The success he achieved playing for Quebec enriched his life so much that he decided to open the doors for others. As an immigrant from Colombia, he often struggled with the language barrier and therefore his long-term ambition was to work as a translator. In order to do that, he decided to move to Toronto where he could improve English his speaking abilities and find opportunities for anyone looking to enter this field.
The transition was anything but easy. The first hurdle was finding a place to live with proper facilities for wheelchair users. In the end, he was only able to get a 3rd floor walk up, difficult for anyone in a wheelchair. On the top of that, the location of his new place was really inconvenient and he had to wheel himself several miles a day to and from the training centers.
However, he did not let any of this stop him. In fact, he turned the disadvantage into opportunity. His daily activities were a form of extreme exercise that helped build strength in his arms which is just what he needed to stand out as a rugby player.
In Toronto, he joined second division of Ontario wheelchair rugby team, coached by one of the best players to ever play the game in Canada. He progressed fast and recently, he started to train with the first division of the national team.
His talent and hard work did not just attracted attention in Canada.
The news about a Latin rugby player with great potential traveled as far as Colombia, Esneider's motherland.
Recently, a coach of their national team contacted him with a proposal to represent his country in a tournament in Chile taking place next month. If his performance is good enough he will be recruited to be a part of the national team representing the country in the Panam Games 2019.
Esneider has all the talent and work ethic to grab this opportunity, unfortunately, travel and training expenses are too high to cover on his own.
We are not asking for a handout, but a hand up!
Esneider is one of the most resilient, hard-working individuals anyone would ever have the pleasure to meet. He has proven time and again that every hurdle can be overcome.
Esneider suffers from a degenerative disease that has left him disabled and in a wheelchair for many years. Amazingly, he does not see his wheelchair as an obstacle, but rather as an accessory to his life, which has now given him an opportunity to represent his beloved country.
Every donation to this campaign get him a step closer towards his ultimate goal. We truly believe HE DESERVES IT!
We would also appreciate if you shared this campaign via your social media for others to see and get inspired by his extraordinary achievements.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Organizer
Cesar Zuluaga
Organizer
North York, ON