This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
'I thought life was ending' Celebs tell on how they became disabled for life ¶
On August 6, 2019, Kenyandigest published an article about six Kenyan celebrities who have overcome disabilities to achieve success in their respective fields.
Henry Wanyoike, a blind athlete, has beaten the odds to win in different races both locally and internationally. He lost his sight after suffering a stroke on May 1, 1995, and says, 'I went to bed a normal person, the following day I found myself in darkness.'
Another celebrity, DJ Euphoric, lost the ability to use his lower body after being affected by Polio. He has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry by being among the most sought-after spin masters. Talking about his experience in the past, he says, 'One day, when I was 15, in 2005, I just woke up with pain on my joints. At the hospital, they couldn’t figure what was wrong with me.'
Mary Atieno, a gospel artiste, has been in the entertainment industry for more than two decades, producing uplifting gospel songs that get everyone to stamp their feet whenever her music is played. She was born blind and says, 'When I was born, at first, everything about me seemed normal. My parents had no idea what would befall me in the few months to come.'
Jackson Kipkemoi Kosgei, a pastor, has beaten the odds and created a name for himself despite being physically challenged. He lost use of his limbs after a polio attack and says, 'I lost my legs to polio at five years and decreed that I am left at the exit of a cattle pen to be trampled to death by the bovines in accordance with an age-old tradition of the Tugen community.'
Dennitah Ghati, the Migori Women Representative, lost the use of her legs after being in an accident in 2014. She says, 'One of our tyres had burst. It happened so fast. But I remember seeing the driver struggle at the steering wheel. The vehicle was out of control and it kept hitting rocks and other obstacles.'
Westlands MP, Timothy Wanyonyi, has proven that when life throws you lemons, you can make lemonade. He was shot in the back by armed robbers and says, 'I felt nothing at that moment. It did not sound painful at the time. What I realised was that I was not able to rise up.'
