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UEL's amazing story

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Seize the day, time is too precious to waste..

In normal life, quite often we fill our lives with unnecessary stress and pain caused by a focus on the negative instead of the positive. Enjoying healthy life now, seems for me sometimes difficult when I am trying to realize ambitions instead of enjoying the moment.   
 
When I visited my friend Uel (Uel's facebook profile)  last month in October, all my ambitions were put into perspective. I have known Uel from 2007 in South Africa, as a very positive youth leader at church. He loved the outdoor life, climbing the mountains and walking on the beach.


However, as Uel said, there has been a definite ‘bump’ in his ‘grand life plan’.

During an outdoor youth weekend, Uel’s life changed dramatically. He dove into a river, hit a rock, broke his neck and floated in the water until someone pulled him out. Uel said to me:
 
‘I remember every moment of the accident and my head hitting that rock just below the surface. Lying face down in the river, fully conscious, but unable to move any part of my body. Almost ready to drown, something happened to me... I had a peace come over me like I've never experienced before and it's still with me to this day’.

Uel remained in the water until he was saved and airlifted from the river to hospital where he spent the next 100 (!) days in the hospital and had to undergo 9 operations. The doctors didn't have much hope for him regaining any movement below his shoulders.  Uel is making small steps towards progress but is still paralyzed from the waist down and unable to use his hands.



How to help?

As friends of Uel, we have created this page for him. What Uel needs more than ever, besides our prayers, is financial assistance. Both his parents now are only able to work part-time jobs because they need to be at home in order to take care of him.

Uel is barely able to leave the bedroom (only 6 or 7 days per year currently!).  He is dealing with medical bills for his recovery and since Uel nor his caretakers have a means of transportation, his mobility is totally limited.
 

Please find it in your hearts to make a donation, no matter how small for this wonderful person, and assist him in his journey to recovery. It is Uel’s ambition to share his story, make young people realize to stop living just for this coming weekend, the next holiday, but start living for the only moment that is truly ours, right here, right now.

We are hoping to raise enough funds to get him a vehicle to transport him, similar to the one shown below. We are happy with a second hand car of course, anything to get Uel out there and have him feel the sun on his face again..

PS: Please note that using the campaign's donation system is preferable for donations however we understand that at times an EFT is the only option. Please contact us to request EFT details if necessary..

Thank you in advance !

Donations 

  • Jonny Cohen
    • €40
    • 8 yrs

Organizer

Bart Lelieveld
Organizer
Rijswijk, NL, 11

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