Where There Is Life, There Is Hope
The story of Natalie du Toit is one of hope and perseverance in the face of great obstacles. At the young age of 14 Natalie had established herself as a fast rising star in international competitive swimming. However, just three years later as Natalie was preparing to qualify for the 2001 Summer Olympics tragedy struck. While driving home from practice she was involved in a horrible traffic accident that resulted in the amputation of one of her legs. Although she was only 17 years old it appeared that Natalie’s dream of competing in the Olympics was over. Yet, despite what every else around her believed, Natalie refused to accept this fate. Just over three months after losing her leg Natalie was back in the pool swimming. She was nowhere near the same swimmer she had been, but she continued to chase her dream. Three years later in 2004 she attempted to qualify for the Summer Olympics in Athens. Although she was close, she fell short of qualifying. The fact that she was able to get as close as she did was a remarkable feat in and of itself. No one ever expected her to come so far with only one leg. Natalie, however, had different expectations. She believed she could qualify for the Olympics, and would not rest until she had. Finally, in 2008, seven years after losing her leg, Natalie realized her dream and qualified for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. This is a true story about the remarkable power of hope and perseverance. Great obstacles on the path to dreams are inevitable. Yet, as long as we never lose our hope and continue to persevere there are no obstacles that cannot be overcome. Check out the video below to hear Natalie recount her story.
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