"I don't attempt to hide my handicap.
Why ?
It may be a physical change,
but underneath I am the same person".
Jean Luc Sansonnens
Personal story
"Jean Luc Sansonnens"
Jean-Luc was born on 24 May 1969 and lives in Jongny in Switzerland.
He is married with 2 children
(known as "le messager boiteux" - the limping messenger - a character from a local wine growers' festival).
The story
Leg amputee since a motorcycle accident in 1988.
"It all happened so quickly.
I came to in a field, lying down. I was in pain. When I tried to get up, I realised my leg was severed half way up the thigh."
Four months later, he restarted normal life.
It wasn't the end of the world !
Leisure activities
Sport is very important for Jean-Luc :
- Skiing, speed skiing (142km/hour), cycling
- Diving, taking up hang-gliding
- Hiking, walks with his dog
But also :
- Very keen on old cars.
- Back-packing in Mexico, two 4-week visits to Haïti,
deux fois 4 semaines en Haïti - Tours around large cities on foot or by public transport :
Paris, London, New York, Budapest, Amsterdam
Problems
He hates the prevailing hypocrisy.
He makes no attempt to hide his prosthesis.
He notices people's embarrassed looks.
"In the beginning I asked them if they wanted my photo.
Often people were speechless, surprised by my reaction.
I couldn't bear it if they looked at me as if to say : "How sad for this young man"".
"Le messager boiteux" (the limping messenger)
Experiencing the vine growers' festival from the inside.
Being chosen as the new 'messager boiteux' is fantastic and a great honour."
Extract from an article in the "Fribourg Illustré" newspaper.
...the new messenger can see beyond his three-cornered hat.
"Now I would really like to help disabled people, maybe by becoming the spokesman for an association."
Extract from an article in "Génerations"
