Friday, August 7, 2009

What Doesn't Kill Him, Only Makes Him Stronger



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He ambled slowly along the school corridors. The look in his eyes spelt fatigue and his physique was not at its best. His head hung low as he inched across the ground, with nothing but a pair of metal crutches to aid him as he paced. A quiet smile was carved upon his face once he reached a bench nearby. He sat down almost immediately, delighted and rested. The sad look he had on was unmistakably clear, as he watched his friends walking past with much content and ease. He set his crutches down and shifted his focus to his hands placed on the table.

Aloysius Lin, an 18-year-old Nanyang Polytechnic student, was not as privileged as he was before.

“The pain is still fresh,” he pointed at the huge cast on his right leg, “this happened just 2 days ago. Sprained my ankle at a soccer match,” he said.

“I can now understand how the people who were born handicapped must feel. I truly admire their courage and determination,” he added.



He travels to school via taxi as of now. Previously, he used to travel by the bus. However seeing that his ankle has been severely injured, it is only feasible to get to school by cab, as the public transports are quite a hassle to travel on, due to its inaccessibility for the handicapped.

Although many improvements and considerations have been made in train stations and buses to accommodate the disabled, Aloysius remained his stand on them being still a tad too troublesome to travel on especially when you are at a physical disadvantage. He felt it was good to consider the transportation needs of the handicapped citizens, but it did not work for him. Besides that, he also felt that the handicapped toilets & lifts at the MRT are sometimes misused by the public. These specialized facilities which are catered for the disabled, are being utilized by the able-bodied as well, and he finds that very inconsiderate.

Not only did Aloysius feel that the public transports in Singapore lacked the accessibility, he also felt that Nanyang Polytechnic is not providing enough facilities such as the specialized lifts and ramps to cater to the handicapped to move independently. He was lucky to have caring classmates who helped him around in school, and lecturers who are concerned for his health.

“I do get stares once in a while actually. I don’t know why. Probably they are too amused by my awesome metal crutches or something,” he added with a laugh.

He admitted he felt awkward and helpless walking around campus with the rest of the able-bodied students. His movements were restricted, and it is difficult for him to go anywhere quickly. But what was most disheartening to him, as an avid soccer fan, was his inability to play on the field for quite a while.

“It’s a tough life, being disabled,” he said.

“But what doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger. If many other more unfortunate ones can do it, why can’t I? I’m going to be tough and face this ordeal like a tough man should,” he added with an assuring smile.

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Article by Humairah Jamil



Photo Credits: Cartoon Stock

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