There’s a future ahead of you, the wheelchair will not stop you from doing anything.”
That quote and motto, is epitomised in Nafitalai Uluinikorotabu’s life story, a tale of tragedy but with perseverance, faith, and personal triumph.
Fondly known among his family and friends as Nafi, the 34-year-old hails from Navukebuli Village, in the northern province of Macuata, and was born and raised in Suva.
The Sunday Times recently caught up with Nafi and he spoke candidly about how a tragic accident that occurred earlier on in his life, shaped his outlook and journey.
“I have three siblings. I’m the fourth. I always consider myself the youngest but the wisest,” he said laughingly.
“Being raised in a typical iTaukei family, the church played a big part in my life and I was always taught to respect my elders.”
After completing his primary education at the International School Suva and Holy Trinity Anglican School, Nafi attended secondary school at the prestigious Queen Victoria School at Matavatucou in Tailevu. It was at this point in life that Nafi made up his mind – he was going to become a pilot and travel the world.
But his life was about to change.
The December 28, 2005 is a date forever etched in Nafi’s mind.
“I was still in Form 5, and we went for holidays in the village, back in Vanua Levu. I went swimming with my cousins and thought the river we were swimming in was deep, but it wasn’t,” he said.
“So, I went in for a dive, headfirst, and broke my spine in three places.”
As soon as he hit the rocks he lost feeling in his legs and arms and his cousins pulled him to safety.
He was taken to the Labasa Hospital where he spent a couple of days and was later chartered to Suva.
“Reality struck me when the doctors at Labasa Hospital told me that I had severed my spine,” Nafi said.
He was transferred to the Tamavua Hospital, and it was there that Nafi recalls going through the toughest mental battle of his life.
“I mean, lying down at the age of 16, Form 5 (Year 10), you think that you have your whole life ahead of you, you’ve got your plans to go to university and all these things just went down the drain.”
“Thoughts of suicide and depression started to kick me hard,” Nafi said.
However, throughout his six months of rehab at Tamavua, Nafi says, his pillars of strength were his faith and family.
“It was just the visitation of the youths of my church, the Potter’s House Church. I considered them literally as my brothers and sisters, they just continued to come and visit, and I saw the difference in how they came and continued to encourage me,”
Nafi said whenever he felt isolated or alone, he would always draw inspiration and comfort from the Bible verse Hebrews 13 verse 5.
“It just reminded me that God will never leave us, nor forsake us.”
“Even though your friends and family might go out of that hospital after the visiting is finished, there’s always someone with you, God is always there beside you,” he said.
Nafi also acknowledged his parents for always ensuring that he was never alone at home after he was discharged from Tamavua Hospital.
Coming from an extended family of about 20 people living under the same roof, he always had someone beside him and that is something he is always grateful for.
2009 was the year Nafi decided to step out into the real world and make a future for himself.
He was introduced to the disability sector by the late Joshko Wakaniyasi, who called up his father and encouraged him to have Nafi registered as a member of the Spinal Injury Association (SIA)of Fiji.
“So, my dad drove me up to 3 Brown Street, and as soon as I got there, my eyes just opened,” he said.
“I saw persons with disabilities that were on wheelchairs, that were blind, or deaf working an 8 to 5 job, and it encouraged me, to know there’s people like me who are fending for themselves.”
Being part of the SIA and connecting with others who were going through struggles helped Nafi shape a more positive outlook on life, while his interactions and fellowship in church helped to build his resilient character.
Nafi is currently the Disability Inclusion Officer at the SIA. While he might not have become a pilot, his advocacy work in the disability sector has taken him around the world, visiting famous metropolitan destinations like Washington DC in the United States and Sydney, Australia.
“My main aim is that persons with disabilities living in Fiji have a full and effective participation in society.”
“I wake up every morning and I remind myself that I have job to do to get persons with disabilities out of their houses and into society and be a part of the community.”
“Because I was there once. I was lying down at home once, looking at the four walls, contemplating suicide, thinking there was an end to life and there was no point in living.”
Nafi listed stigma, accessibility, and communication as some of the major challenges that persons living with disabilities had to deal with daily.
“For example, a wheelchair user trying to get on the bus, here in Fiji you won’t be able to do that period. I’ve been to Australia. Going into Sydney and boarding the buses there, I was like, can I live here?”
“But it can be done here, everyone needs to come together and make decisions together, the state, service providers, and most importantly, persons living with disabilities,” he said.
Reaching out to people living with disabilities in rural areas and getting them the services they need is also a major focus that Nafi is passionate about and is actively advocating for.
For Nafi, the biggest disability a person could have is a negative mindset.
“All we need to do is just realize the potential that we have and the potential in those around us, if you’re able to do that, then you’ll be able to do anything,” he said.
“Remember whatever it is you’re going through in life, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”
