My second life

Life has a way of surprising us, sometimes throwing us into situations we never imagined. 3 years ago, I experienced the kind of moment that shifts everything in an instant—a serious traffic accident that completely changed my reality. I wasn´t driving fast, 60 km/h, but everything happened so fast, i saw the car right in front of me and only had time to think: oh, that´s it. I still remember the crash vividly, every second slowing down as if in a movie. I didn’t hear a sound, just my own breathing, muffled and surreal, like being underwater. It was anything, but quiet, the whole street heard me flying into the car window, smashing it with my head. When I finally hit the ground, I knew I had just been through the adventure of a lifetime.Miraculously, I remained conscious and, to my disbelief, fine. My body, however, told a different story. I had few broken bones, but I was still in one piece. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy. I knew I was lucky to be alive and not paralysed. Everything else seemed manageable. The pain, the rehab, the long path ahead—it was all just part of a journey. A journey I was determined to take.

The Painful Road to Recovery

The days following the accident were some of the hardest I’ve ever endured. I went from needing assistance just to get to the bathroom to celebrating the small victory of washing my hair by myself a week later. Two weeks after the accident, I managed my first full shower. It sounds like such a minor accomplishment, but at the time, it felt monumental.From there, every step was a battle. Months of grueling physiotherapy pushed me to my limits, both physically and mentally. Exercising had to hurt, from 1 to 10, the pain had to be at 5-6. I won’t sugarcoat it: there were moments when I didn’t want to keep going. My shoulder, wrist, knee, and ankle were all painfully damaged, making every exercise a struggle. I had lost coordination and balance, making even simple movements feel impossible.But step by step, I relearned how to move, starting with rolling, then crawling, until I finally stood on my own feet without falling. It took 10 months before I was able to walk properly, and even longer to regain my confidence.Looking back, it’s hard to believe how far I’ve come. From the accident that almost took everything from me to standing tall on the court, this journey has been nothing short of a rebirth. I call it my second life—a second chance to live fully, to embrace every moment, and to remind myself (and anyone else who needs to hear it) that life is fragile, precious, and absolutely worth fighting for.

Going in with All My Fears—and Leaving with None

It was a new reality, body was different, I was done with exercising, I had multiple excuse not to, even though I knew I had to. When I stumbled upon a local beginners’ basketball group called B3B Basketball, I noticed their age group ranged from 18 to 50. Yes! I thought, “Okay, I fit in that box! Maybe this is where I need to be.” So, armed with my excitement and a whole lot of fear, I signed up.Before my first session, my head was filled with every possible fear and doubt:“Will I be the most unfit?”“Will I fall flat on my face?”“Will I be the oldest one there?”“Will it hurt?”“Am I making a huge mistake?”Basically, it was like a crazy hamster wheel of anxiety spinning at full speed. But I took a deep breath and went anyway. And you know what happened? It turned out to be so much fun that I forgot about every single worry I had.Yes, I was a bit clumsy. Yes, my coordination was shaky. But none of it mattered. The class was filled with people just like me—some younger, some older, some out of shape, some unsure of themselves. And all of us were just there to enjoy ourselves and learn something new. Before I knew it, I was running around, chasing the ball, and laughing like a kid. 

The Secret Ingredient: Fun!

The beauty of beginners’ basketball is that it’s not about how good you are or how fast you run. It’s about having fun, learning new skills, and connecting with people who are all there for the same reason: to challenge themselves and enjoy the game. No judgment, no pressure. Just pure, joyful play.And trust me, there’s nothing more motivating than finding a workout that doesn’t feel like a workout. I showed up because I wanted to, not because I had to. And that made all the difference.Basketball became a celebration of every single thing I’d fought for—my mobility, my strength, my freedom.This year, I celebrated my second birthday. It’s a reminder that the hardest battles can lead to the most beautiful victories, that setbacks are part of the story, and that pain can be the greatest teacher.So, to anyone struggling on their own path, remember: keep moving forward, no matter how slow the progress may seem. Life has a way of surprising us with second chances and unexpected joys. And who knows? Maybe, like me, you’ll find yourself dribbling a basketball, running around, and celebrating the moments you once thought were impossible.Because tomorrow is not promised—so live fully today. 💪😊