Sameer, like any other young boy, was full of joy and energy, and a heart full of hopes and dreams. Known for his kindness, laughter, and motivation for always moving forward, Sameer had big plans for the future. His life was simple yet full of dreams and promises.
But in an unexpected way, everything turned upside down. A barbaric wave of communal violence swept over Sameer’s vicinity. Arson, vandalism, and bloodshed all unfolded in hours. The violence took away the lives of approximately 54 individuals. On the day of violence, Sameer was, like usual, going to his coaching when a bullet hit him on his back. His legs, which were full of life, became numb in a second.
The world around him turned dark and black within seconds. The next thing he knew was that he could no longer walk.
“I had fainted, I didn’t even realize it. Then, when I regained consciousness, I found out that my body had become paralyzed.” said Sameer.
Sameer underwent painful surgeries, physiotherapy sessions, and emotional turmoil during his recovery battle. But unfortunately, he could not walk again.
When Miles2Smile met him, he was fragile and had given up hope. We motivated him to continue his studies online and chase his dreams yet again. We helped start living a new life.
“When Aasif sir came to meet me, I was very weak, I had lost a lot of blood, I had almost given up. But now, the courage to live has returned.” he said
Sameer refused to let the violence that had changed his life steal his dreams. Instead, he focused on learning and finding new ways to move forward. He developed new skills, adapted to his circumstances, and began sharing his knowledge with others. His goal was clear: to prove that living a meaningful life isn’t defined by the ability to walk.
He enrolled himself in hotel management and dreams of achieving his desired job.”I am currently doing hotel management, once that’s completed, I’ll get a good job.” he said.
A few days ago, we met Sameer. He demonstrated his wish to have an LED TV so that he could connect his phone and study on a bigger screen. Considering his passion for studies, we gave him one.
He now sits in his room and uses the LED for his studies.”It has become much easier for me now, I can study comfortably because of this,” Sameer said.
Sameer is not the only one; there are many who have lost their happiness to the violence. At Miles2Smile, we aim to assist all the violence-ridden people in getting back to normalcy.
