The promise
After losing a leg in the war in Yugoslavia, she thought he would never walk again without pain. When she saw a dolphin with an artificial tail, her life took a turn.
One morning not long ago, Maja Kazazik appeared at an aquarium than 276,000 liters in Florida. For two years she had been watching a bottlenose dolphin named Winter swim around the tank. From afar, the whale seemed quite accessible. Still, as she prepared to dive, he felt some fear among his emotion.
She entered the pool. Despite his fear, he felt strong with his new leg. I was prepared to fulfill the promise he had made long ago.
When I lived in Mostar, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina), Maja lost at a premium of five years, Jasmina, because of leukemia. After his death, Maja promised to swim with a dolphin, an animal that both adored in his honor. "Jasmina never had the opportunity [to do]," says Maja, now 32, "so I decided that someday I would do for her."
When I lived in Mostar, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina), Maja lost at a premium of five years, Jasmina, because of leukemia. After his death, Maja promised to swim with a dolphin, an animal that both adored in his honor. "Jasmina never had the opportunity [to do]," says Maja, now 32, "so I decided that someday I would do for her."
At school, sports like football, basketball and tennis were his passion. I wanted to be a professional athlete. But in 1993, during the war in Yugoslavia, a mortar bomb fired by Croatian separatists exploded in the courtyard of his building. The six friends I was chatting died and Maja, then 16, was seriously injured. Shrapnel penetrated his left arm and both legs.
In a makeshift hospital was considered that his left leg had no salvation possible, so it was amputated just below the knee. "There was no anesthesia," she recalls. "I was tied up and placed a piece of gum in your mouth for the bite. I could feel everything. " The leg wound became infected. Without antibiotics, lost and regained consciousness in turn. For weeks, his parents kept vigil at his bedside. The British activist Sally Becker, who evacuated during the war many children, Maja got to move to America for treatment.
She spent nearly two years in a Maryland hospital, guarded by volunteers from Veterans for Peace. (His father had been injured in another bombing, and his mother stayed behind in Bosnia to care for him and his brother 10 years). A few months after arriving, Maja received his first prosthetic leg. As had been very little bone was difficult to adapt the prosthesis, and as right leg was also damaged, walking proved a deeply painful experience. Still, he managed to finish school. At 18 he left the hospital and went to an apartment with another refugee.
In a makeshift hospital was considered that his left leg had no salvation possible, so it was amputated just below the knee. "There was no anesthesia," she recalls. "I was tied up and placed a piece of gum in your mouth for the bite. I could feel everything. " The leg wound became infected. Without antibiotics, lost and regained consciousness in turn. For weeks, his parents kept vigil at his bedside. The British activist Sally Becker, who evacuated during the war many children, Maja got to move to America for treatment.
She spent nearly two years in a Maryland hospital, guarded by volunteers from Veterans for Peace. (His father had been injured in another bombing, and his mother stayed behind in Bosnia to care for him and his brother 10 years). A few months after arriving, Maja received his first prosthetic leg. As had been very little bone was difficult to adapt the prosthesis, and as right leg was also damaged, walking proved a deeply painful experience. Still, he managed to finish school. At 18 he left the hospital and went to an apartment with another refugee.
Her parents finally met with her in the U.S., but Maja and was very independent. After graduating in psychology, he moved to the Florida coast, got a job at an insurance company and eventually launched his own company building websites. After dozens of operations, might occasionally play golf and tennis. But still limping on a prosthesis imperfect, and each activity was produced in enormous pain that lasted several days.
To relax watching the dolphins at an aquarium near you. A young female dolphin, Winter, who had lost his tail in a crab trap, caught his attention. "He swam more like a shrimp than a dolphin. I identified with her. "
To relax watching the dolphins at an aquarium near you. A young female dolphin, Winter, who had lost his tail in a crab trap, caught his attention. "He swam more like a shrimp than a dolphin. I identified with her. "
After a doctor visit, Maja came to the aquarium with low mood. Coaches Winter you were adapting to a line of high technology: a joint steel sheet of plastic flexible silicone, with a gel coating designed to protect the delicate skin of the dolphin. When finished, Winter slid down the water.
Maja was fascinated. She went to the coaches who put her in contact with the inventors, Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics. Before 10 days and had a new leg. With its soft coating and integrated microprocessor that adjusts the member for different activities and land, "for the first time in nearly 16 years had no pain."
Maja was fascinated. She went to the coaches who put her in contact with the inventors, Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics. Before 10 days and had a new leg. With its soft coating and integrated microprocessor that adjusts the member for different activities and land, "for the first time in nearly 16 years had no pain."
Eight months later, Maja was ready to fulfill the promise she had made in honor of Jasmina. His mother, Azra, and his father, Mugdim, accompanied her to the aquarium. "After being in a war zone, this should be a cinch," said Maja as she descended into the tank. He extended a hand to Winter, who approached cautiously and then walked away. After a few minutes, the dolphin Maja let you stroke his back. Then he held the muzzle over his shoulder, and the two swam for an hour around the tank.
His mother began to mourn. "When Maja says he'll do something, always met," he said. Once out of the water, her parents embraced.
I would have shouted for joy, not because he knew the sensitivity of dolphins to noise. But she said quietly: "I felt I owed something to someone, and now I've paid off my debt." In the parking lot, got into his car and shouted until he was hoarse.
His mother began to mourn. "When Maja says he'll do something, always met," he said. Once out of the water, her parents embraced.
I would have shouted for joy, not because he knew the sensitivity of dolphins to noise. But she said quietly: "I felt I owed something to someone, and now I've paid off my debt." In the parking lot, got into his car and shouted until he was hoarse.
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