By Laurie Ann Thompson, Sean Qualls
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring precise story—which used to be changed into a movie, Emmanuel's Gift, narrated via Oprah Winfrey—is not anything wanting notable.
Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he used to be brushed aside by means of so much people—but now not by means of his mom, who taught him to arrive for his desires. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to college greater than miles every one manner, discovered to play football, left domestic at age 13 to supply for his family members, and, finally, turned a bike owner. He rode an staggering 400 miles throughout Ghana in 2001, spreading his strong message: incapacity isn't lack of ability. this day, Emmanuel maintains to paintings on behalf of the disabled.
Thompson's lyrical prose and Qualls's daring college illustrations supply a strong party of prevailing over adversity.
Includes an author's word with additional information approximately Emmanuel's charity.
Read Online or Download Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah PDF
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Additional info for Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Then Emmanuel wrote to the Challenged Athletes starting place, the entire approach in San Diego, California. They despatched him a bike … plus a helmet, shorts, socks, and gloves! Emmanuel began education for the lengthy journey. He persuaded the king of his zone to offer him a royal blessing. He went door to door requesting extra aid. eventually, he employed a taxi to stick with him with consuming water, a digicam, and his most sensible pals. Then Emmanuel tied his correct leg to the bike’s body, jammed his left foot right into a flip-flop connected to the pedal, and rode. Emmanuel pedaled throughout the bustling urban of Accra. He pedaled via rain forests, over rolling hills, and throughout extensive, muddy rivers. He pedaled previous odum forests and plantain farms and during the industry urban of Kumasi. He pedaled as vans roared previous at the slender highways and wild animals stalked his concepts. He pedaled via mammoth grasslands and into the traditional urban of Tamale. He rode up, down, throughout, and round his state, proudly donning the colours of its flag on a blouse revealed with the phrases THE POZO, or “the disabled individual. ” alongside the best way, Emmanuel talked to these with actual demanding situations and people with out, to negative farm staff and filthy rich landowners, to spiritual leaders, executive officers, and journalists. He sought after all people to determine him— and his incapacity. He sought after each person to listen to him— and his message. The farther Emmanuel rode, the extra awareness he obtained. childrens cheered. Able-bodied adults ran or rode besides him. individuals with disabilities left their houses and got here outdoor, a few for the first actual time. The younger guy as soon as regarded as cursed was once changing into a countrywide hero. He accomplished his brilliant trip, pedaling south to the ocean and again as much as Accra— approximately 400 miles—in simply ten days. yet Emmanuel’s luck is going even additional than that. He proved that one leg is sufficient to do good things— and one individual is sufficient to swap the realm. “In this global, we're not ideal. we will be able to in basic terms do our greatest. ” —Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah Author’s observe Emmanuel nonetheless isn’t giving up. due to the fact that finishing his first long-distance motorbike journey throughout Ghana in 2001 on the age of twenty-four, he has competed in significant athletic occasions, gained overseas awards from Nike and ESPN, and carried the Olympic torch in Cairo, Egypt, in 2004. He starred in a documentary approximately his existence referred to as Emmanuel’s present, and he seemed at the Oprah Winfrey express. In 2006, thank you largely to Emmanuel’s motorcycle trip and his endured political activism, the Ghanaian Parliament handed the folks with incapacity Act, which states that folks with actual disabilities are entitled to all the comparable rights because the remainder of the country’s electorate. “I am more than happy for my disabled brothers and sisters in Ghana,” stated Emmanuel, “[but] this can be just the start. ” this day, Emmanuel keeps to paintings on behalf of the disabled. He continues a scholarship fund to assist kids with disabilities attend college, and he is helping organisations distribute wheelchairs to these in want.