How to Live in the Face of a Disaster

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hich had been cathartic while he encouraged others with sharing his life with them. People from every stage of his life even strangers have told him how his efforts to push through his pain had pushed them to do better in their own lives.</p><figure id="6b7b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*1lCw4OaK0ZGY4kFv"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@visuals?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">visuals</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="4a87">I read this story in the <a href="https://readmedium.com/5eca1b4382f2?source=post_page-----49e3a8e7e47----------------------">Los Angeles Times</a> and was so moved with his tenacity to live his life to the fullest as he encouraged others to do the same, that I wanted to share his story of one of faith and courage. While he encouraged others, he had gone from the accident to a new identity. It’s like they say when life hands you a lemon make lemonade. Well Obi had made lots of lemonade,share the lemonade with countless others and it was only the beginning as he spread his joy for living life.</p><p id="478a">Also, thank God for the generosity of so many others from strangers to the rich and famous. Due their generosity and support, he will be able to move forward in adapting to his new life.</p><p id="e192">Honestly, I have no complaints or shouldn’t have after reading this story. We always think our situation is so bad until we read of another’s like Obi, which puts all in perspective.</p><p id="c573">Just reading Obi’s story has encouraged me so that I will no longer or make every effort not to swallow in a pity party that my career is not where I wanted it to be but be grateful that I have had and have many opportunities to do what I love even though the visibility was not what was hoped for. Outside of my career, I have so much more to be grateful for and often forget until I read a story like Obi’s.</p><p id="83d5">All the people that he has encourage in person, via social media, GoFundMe, the LA Times and many other’s outlets, is like God had used such a horrific accident one dark night and brought such light into many lives thereby.</p><p id="a6be">I remembered years ago on the east-coast, I was in a car accident where my car was totaled and I returned home from the hospital the same night and when I awoke the next morning to go to the bathroom, I discovered I couldn’t walk. I remember that feeling very vividly, I was horrified and dragged my body to the toilet. Once there, I was so scared I’d never walk again and was at home alone. As I sat scared on the toilet, a quiet voice whispered, “Now stand up,” and I did and started walking. I wobbled with excitement from room to room. Didn’t want to stop walking. Just was thrilled to be walking. We take alot for granted until it is taken away. With physical therapy for months, I was able to walk without a cane and not wobbled. It appeared that my sciatic nerve had been damaged.</p><p id="48b1">In conclusion, Obi’s life is a lesson for all to live life to it’s fullest no matter what happen and if

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life changes like his, rebirth yourself and give yourself permission to be human in the process.</p><p id="b36b"><b>EP McKnight </b>a writer, teacher, stage playwright, fitness coach and constant dreamer. She is a GCU doctorate student in Performance Psychology, Graduate and Undergraduate in Educational Psychology and Communications at Fordham University New York, New York. She’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and you can read more of her on <a href="http://www.epmcknight.">www.epmcknight.</a> com</p><p id="915b">For additional reads:</p><div id="12ea" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/easy-life-lessons-living-on-purpose-2de8949f8fc"> <div> <div> <h2>Easy Life Lessons — Living on Purpose</h2> <div><h3>Taking it one day at a time and living in the moment</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*nnmPfWx1ZokPw2Dy.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="608b" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-dream-big-and-succeed-28b4d337ddaf"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Dream Big and Succeed</h2> <div><h3>Believing in your self is the first step toward success and the second step is casting your cares on God</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*SKgj8cY68sZPfQTS.jpg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="8946" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-get-a-grip-on-life-grip-your-handshake-7d8834b54959"> <div> <div> <h2>How to get a Grip on Life, Grip your Handshake</h2> <div><h3>How to make your handshake count and effective</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*3eVmzm63JCyVUScp.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="9879" class="link-block"> <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-12-07/hit-and-run-amputee-survivor-obi-ndefo"> <div> <div> <h2>Column: A hit-and-run nearly ended an actor's life. Obi Ndefo plans to do much more than survive it</h2> <div><h3>Obi Ndefo once stood 6 feet, 4 inches tall. He could bound across a room in wide, loose strides and point his finely…</h3></div> <div><p>www.latimes.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*38RVaDHKvbqQQbwR)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

How to Live in the Face of a Disaster

There are Times in Life When Giving up Should be an Option

Sometimes life will deal a hand you never imagined and knocks you flat on your back. Old life, new life, it doesn’t matter the hand that you are dealt but how you play the hand you are dealt that matters! Also, when you fall down, fall on your back and if you can look up you can get up. Obi Ndefo is the perfect example of creating a new life with his new identity! Legs today, no legs tomorrow, has not stopped him.

One dark night, a hit and run accident took his legs and nearly his life but now he has big plans to live his life to the fullest. This 47 years old actor, writer, yoga teacher and founder of a nonprofit to foster the arts and societal wellness lost his legs after a driver slammed into him in August while he was loading food into his trunk and severed his right leg while the left leg hung on tenuously by skin alone while he was left laying on a dark street as the driver sped away. Rushed to the hospital where the doctor had to remove his left leg to save his life. After the accident, he blanked out and awoke with joy that he was alive and has continued to be joyous about life.

He was once a 6 feet, 4 inches tall man who could bound across a room in wide, loose strides and point his muscled legs skyward into the longest of handstands. After the accident, he made a conscious choice to live and plunged back into his life, talking openly about his trauma was healing for him and others. He never shied away from sharing his story with anyone and anytime.

With the aid of a GoFundMe account, he raised money to get prosthetic legs and modified his home to accommodate his new life. Just 36 days after the crash, he returned to going to the gym, doing yoga and working his upper body from his wheelchair.

He perpetually shared his story with all so that they can draw from it faith in their own inner strength and capacity to face whatever comes their way. He possessed a positive attitude that he doesn’t hold any malice for the man who hit him. The man had been caught, posted bail and had not been yet charged. He confirmed that he feels no hate or even anger for the driver,not an ounce but stated if he did, it would only prove self-destructive.

While life for Obi has been difficult, he persevered through lots of tears which had been cathartic while he encouraged others with sharing his life with them. People from every stage of his life even strangers have told him how his efforts to push through his pain had pushed them to do better in their own lives.

I read this story in the Los Angeles Times and was so moved with his tenacity to live his life to the fullest as he encouraged others to do the same, that I wanted to share his story of one of faith and courage. While he encouraged others, he had gone from the accident to a new identity. It’s like they say when life hands you a lemon make lemonade. Well Obi had made lots of lemonade,share the lemonade with countless others and it was only the beginning as he spread his joy for living life.

Also, thank God for the generosity of so many others from strangers to the rich and famous. Due their generosity and support, he will be able to move forward in adapting to his new life.

Honestly, I have no complaints or shouldn’t have after reading this story. We always think our situation is so bad until we read of another’s like Obi, which puts all in perspective.

Just reading Obi’s story has encouraged me so that I will no longer or make every effort not to swallow in a pity party that my career is not where I wanted it to be but be grateful that I have had and have many opportunities to do what I love even though the visibility was not what was hoped for. Outside of my career, I have so much more to be grateful for and often forget until I read a story like Obi’s.

All the people that he has encourage in person, via social media, GoFundMe, the LA Times and many other’s outlets, is like God had used such a horrific accident one dark night and brought such light into many lives thereby.

I remembered years ago on the east-coast, I was in a car accident where my car was totaled and I returned home from the hospital the same night and when I awoke the next morning to go to the bathroom, I discovered I couldn’t walk. I remember that feeling very vividly, I was horrified and dragged my body to the toilet. Once there, I was so scared I’d never walk again and was at home alone. As I sat scared on the toilet, a quiet voice whispered, “Now stand up,” and I did and started walking. I wobbled with excitement from room to room. Didn’t want to stop walking. Just was thrilled to be walking. We take alot for granted until it is taken away. With physical therapy for months, I was able to walk without a cane and not wobbled. It appeared that my sciatic nerve had been damaged.

In conclusion, Obi’s life is a lesson for all to live life to it’s fullest no matter what happen and if life changes like his, rebirth yourself and give yourself permission to be human in the process.

EP McKnight a writer, teacher, stage playwright, fitness coach and constant dreamer. She is a GCU doctorate student in Performance Psychology, Graduate and Undergraduate in Educational Psychology and Communications at Fordham University New York, New York. She’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and you can read more of her on www.epmcknight. com

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