Suche
Mein Konto
From tragedy to triumph: Andreas Onea inspires as a para-athlete!
Andreas Onea, para-athlete and motivational speaker, shares his inspiring story after a tragic accident when he was 6 years old.
From tragedy to triumph: Andreas Onea inspires as a para-athlete!
Andreas Onea lives with the consequences of a terrible stroke of fate: a serious traffic accident in 1998 took away his left arm as a child and required immense adjustment. The accident in which his grandfather died and his mother was seriously injured could have been fatal, but thanks to his mother's attentive efforts, Andreas narrowly escaped danger. Today, the 32-year-old is a prime example of resilience - as a para-athlete, TV presenter and family man, he has redesigned his life after this tragedy. “I should have died then,” he reflects, but he is grateful for the opportunities he has had since then today.at.
The loss of an arm presented Andreas with major challenges – both physically and mentally. He reports phantom pain and explains: “The brain initially ‘believes’ the arm is still there.” Despite these difficulties, he has had a remarkable sporting career: starting with the state championship at the age of twelve and ending with medals at world and European championships. In 2016, he won bronze at the Rio Paralympics, a testament to his tireless dedication and determination. His sporting career, which originally began as therapy after the accident, became a life enactment for him when he realized what was possible with hard training, as he also did in an interview with Newsflix emphasized.
A life full of barriers
Onea emphasizes the challenges he faces as a father. He finds his 1.5-year-old son's little mishaps particularly funny when he intuitively tries to imitate him. The boy quickly learned that changing diapers is different for dad, and Andreas reports with a smile: “It took a while to teach him that he has two arms and can really clap!” These anecdotes are more than just funny stories – they illustrate the value of inclusion. "When we include people in society, we solve many problems. Inclusion is not a luxury, but an asset for all of us," he explains, pointing out the importance of the visibility of people with disabilities.
Onea's story is an example of how one can gain courage and motivation to live despite adverse circumstances. His motto is that every person is unique and can bring their talents to bear, regardless of physical limitations. "There are so many things that I can do despite my disability. But that cannot be taken for granted," he concludes, showing that one can develop strength from even the most difficult fates.