When Vanessa lost both of her legs in a tragic train accident at the age of 15, she got told she would never be able to walk again.  She spend 2 weeks in a coma, 6 moths in hospital and underwent 9 surgeries, yet the toughest part of her journey was finding believe in herself and her abilities in a world that taught her the opposite. However, her story it not driven by adversity, her story really is about taking action against the odds, a story written by choices and courage.

Determined to reach beyond perceived present limitations, she made the decision to take charge over her life and take a chance achieving the unimaginable, creating a life beyond fears, a life on her new feet.  Today’s normality, being able to walk and run on a daily basis, is the product of a strong vision, resilience and perseverance, made possible by hard work and a passionate heart.

She went on to become a paralympic gold medallist and world record holder in the long jump. Today she is still the only above knee amputee, single or double, to have jumped over the 5 m mark. Athletics gave her second chance in life a direction and a purpose. For many of us, our proudest achievements come in the face of the greatest adversity.

And while athletics is still her focus in life, she proudly donates her time toward the FIA #3500lives road safety campaign, with the ultimate goal to reduce every day’s traffic casualties to zero. She passionately shares her story with people around the world, mindful about the impact her own story may have on others.