REAL-LIFE INSIGHTS FOR PROFESSIONALS SUPPORTING AMPUTEES

I have always been very impressed by your drive and determination to turn a difficult situation into a positive. You have been able to turn your physical state into a unique advantage by appearing in various film roles. You have been able to manage your obvious physical weaknesses exceptionally well by persevering and setting up your own business which you run successfully. Every time there is a problem you creatively find a way of getting around that problem and making a success of it. I have found you very creative and are full of ideas. I see your enthusiasm building when you have an idea or a new project to work on and you seem to enjoy having multiple new ideas or projects to occupy your creativity and drive. You have a warm and gregarious personality and enjoy people and spending time with them. Other people in turn, seem to warm very readily to you and greatly enjoy your company. Your own condition and perserverence, especially your achievements give you a unique ability to command people's respect and drives them into wanting to help you and succeed with you, in a similar way to the way you have succeeded.

Back in 2018 through a mutual connection I first meet Steve and was impressed with his positive attitude and ability to overcome the hurdles of being a double amputee. Steve supplied services to the company I run, Spirit Motorsport, for our Motorsport Race Driver Development Program via his company Swift and Sure. Working with Steve allowed us to deliver a unique, high-quality experience for the client. His role was integral to Spirit Motorsport being able to deliver the Race Driver Development Program days. What most impressed me most about Steve was his can-do attitude. Steve was punctual and able to overcome all issues that arose over the course of the Development Days. Over the time I have known Steve he shared his back story from his motorcycle accident back in 1986 to overcoming that to become a successful entrepreneur. It is a pleasure working with Steve and would be happy to work with him again.

It has been my pleasure to have known Steve since 2008, when he undertook his flying training in South Africa through our sponsorship via Flying Scholarships for Disabled People. It has been extremely humbling to observe his transformation from having experienced the initial mind-numbing tragedy of his permanent injuries from a road traffic accident through a path of entrepreneurship providing domestic services, then exotic vehicle transportation, all the while working on film sets, cleverly turning his injuries around to his advantage. Steve’s energy, optimism and irrepressible enthusiasm is something we should all learn from. Reading between the lines, I can only imagine how difficult and personally demoralising his situation must have been at times and I learnt all about “phantom limb pains” from Steve as well as many other things, yet he has never been one to be beaten and always uses his sense of humour to drive him forward and persevere. He simply will not allow anything to deter him from his determination to achieve his goals. His hardships have strengthened him and if the rest of us could emulate just a fraction of this drive, we would all propel ourselves to achieve much more than we would have thought possible. Steve’s story is an enthralling one. From one life-changing and very suddenly and unexpectedly debilitating event, he has gained a strength of character and determination that has become an inspiration for us all.