ABBAS KARIMI, THRIVING OVER HARDSHIPS.
Olympic swimmer Abbas Karimi knows too well what "hardships" means being born with no arms in Afghanistan and having had to live in many refugee camps. This is a story of triumph and the proof that, if you work hard, everything is possible.
A few days ago I’ve had the chance to join an online experience with Abbas Karimi, member of the Refugees Paralympic Team. Abbas is a 24 years old boy, born in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was born without arms and went through a lot in his life, including having to flee his country and living in many refugee camps. His disability and the hardhips he had to face didn’t stop him from reaching his goal to become a professional swimmer.
When Abbas was born, his parents were a bit upset because the baby had no arms. His family had to care for him up until he was five or six years old. His parents raised him like a “normal” kid and Abbas eventually learned, when he was still a child, to take care of himself using his feet.
Life wasn’t easy though. He was bullied and made fun of from people outside of his family, including kids around his age. That’s why he got in trouble quite a lot, fighting against them to defend himself. One day he jumped into the river and got interested in water.
When Abbas was 15 years old, his family wanted him to marry in order to have kids who would care for him for the rest of his life, but the wedding never happened. He was very focussed on swimming. He attended school and trained because he wanted to take swimming to the next level. Afghanistan, though, wasn’t a safe place. People could easily get killed or wounded there and, “if you don’t feel safe, you don’t have a future.”
When Abbas was born, his parents were a bit upset because the baby had no arms. His family had to care for him up until he was five or six years old. His parents raised him like a “normal” kid and Abbas eventually learned, when he was still a child, to take care of himself using his feet.
Life wasn’t easy though. He was bullied and made fun of from people outside of his family, including kids around his age. That’s why he got in trouble quite a lot, fighting against them to defend himself. One day he jumped into the river and got interested in water.
When Abbas was 15 years old, his family wanted him to marry in order to have kids who would care for him for the rest of his life, but the wedding never happened. He was very focussed on swimming. He attended school and trained because he wanted to take swimming to the next level. Afghanistan, though, wasn’t a safe place. People could easily get killed or wounded there and, “if you don’t feel safe, you don’t have a future.”
Wanting to be more than “a kid with no arms”, he decided to flee Afghanistan. It was a though decision, but it was necessary. His brother arranged for him to leave Afghanistan, he left alone and reached Iran illegally and, after three days and three nights, he arrived in Turkey. Once there, it went to UNHCR (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) who sent him to a refugee camp in Turkey. He stayed in the country for four years, living in four different camps. In every camp, he had to find a new coach and a new swimming pool. He attended a year of school there and then stopped, focussing only on swimming. He competed at a national level. He used all his time to train so he’d be better end up doing something with swimming or he wouldn’t have had nothing. In 2014, an American guy supported Abbas, financially and not only. The Turkish government wanted him to become a Turkish citizen and represent Turkey but he refused, wanting a better place to improve in all aspects of life, not only in swimming, because “I can’t swim forever.”
That’s how he got resettled in the USA. Being asked what he wants to do in the future, Abbas says now he’ still very focussed on swimming but, knowing he won’t be able to swim forever, he considers becoming a coach or, even better, realizing his dream of becoming an actor one day. “I always set up big goals because it means that, if you have to work hard, it shapes your destiny and makes us better people.”
Abbas managed to learn driving a car with his feet. “I know I come from the bottom so, even if there are other swimmers I admire, I look up to myself a lot.”
I asked him if he has a message for people struggling accepting their disabilities and/or illnesses. “Stay strong and keep fighting, never surrender. Life is full of challenges: either you give up, or you fight.”
I also took the chance to ask him about Afghanistan, due to the fact that I’ll be releasing my YA novel “Letters from Afghanistan” on September 11th 2021 (the novel will be downloadable for free). I asked him what he wants the world to know about Afghanistan. “From the inside, Afghanistan is a place where most people want to leave peacefully. From the outside, it looks like a dangerous place. If I can do something to bring positive changes, especially for disabled persons, I’d like to do that.”
That’s how he got resettled in the USA. Being asked what he wants to do in the future, Abbas says now he’ still very focussed on swimming but, knowing he won’t be able to swim forever, he considers becoming a coach or, even better, realizing his dream of becoming an actor one day. “I always set up big goals because it means that, if you have to work hard, it shapes your destiny and makes us better people.”
Abbas managed to learn driving a car with his feet. “I know I come from the bottom so, even if there are other swimmers I admire, I look up to myself a lot.”
I asked him if he has a message for people struggling accepting their disabilities and/or illnesses. “Stay strong and keep fighting, never surrender. Life is full of challenges: either you give up, or you fight.”
I also took the chance to ask him about Afghanistan, due to the fact that I’ll be releasing my YA novel “Letters from Afghanistan” on September 11th 2021 (the novel will be downloadable for free). I asked him what he wants the world to know about Afghanistan. “From the inside, Afghanistan is a place where most people want to leave peacefully. From the outside, it looks like a dangerous place. If I can do something to bring positive changes, especially for disabled persons, I’d like to do that.”
Photos are taken from Google. Rights belong to the owners.
