How A Stranger's Touch Changed A Paralyzed Man's Life Forever

Dec 20, 2018 by apost team

When Jaap was only 21 years old, his life changed forever because of an accident. A relaxing dive in the ocean led to paralysis and a lot of rehabilitation.

He decided after surviving this that it was time to try to turn his life completely around.

He credits a man named Carlos who worked in his intensive care unit in Portugal with his ability to stay positive.

While on holiday in Portugal, he dove into a seabed and is lucky to have survived the accident. When he met Carlos in the intensive care unit, he put his hand on Jaap's shoulder and said to him, "It's okay."

While these words may not mean much to some people, it meant everything to Jaap and made him relax about everything that was going on. He let him know that he wasn't alone during this scary time.

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Jaap talked about being in a strange country in a hospital bed and not even recognizing his body as his. He was numb except for panic. Once in a while, people would check on his monitors and then once again leave the room.

Carlos came into the room while he was having yet another panic attack and gave him the attention he needed. He showed him that he was more than just yet another diving accident. He was still alive and he mattered.

He believes that everyone has a bit of Carlos inside of them and they are able to make a difference. Even the smallest successes are something that should be celebrated. Jaap started calling these successes "Carlos Moments" and encourages everyone to share theirs at his website.

His now wife has always had a passion for dancing and he wanted to let her enjoy this at her wedding. He arranged for his guests to stand up for their first dance and shocked them all when he used a lift to bring him to his feet. Jaap and his wife were able to share their first dance since they met 7 years ago. This moment was captured on video and touched the hearts of their guests as well as viewers.

He achieved his goal of having a book published and in 2015, Where There's a Wheel, There's a Way,  and it earned the Best Management Book of the Year in the Netherlands. He taught his readers that you don't have to fear change and instead should embrace it to pursue your passion. Now an inspiration speaker, he shares his experience with a sense of humor and emotion.

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