Brazilian crash survivor takes first new steps

AFP, Sao Paulo: When Brazilian goalkeeper Jakson Follmann took his first steps since surviving a plane crash that wiped out his football club, he called it a win — with his hardest ever season just starting. Follmann was the reserve goalie of Chapecoense, which went from the most feelgood team in football-mad Brazil to a national tragedy.
This was a lowly club that had fought its way to the finals of the regional Copa Sudamericana regional tournament. Then on November 28, almost the whole team was wiped out when the plane flying the players to Medellin, Colombia, for the big game crashed.
Seventy one people died, including the star first choice goalkeeper Danilo. Follmann lost his right leg but was one of six miraculous survivors. Now the athlete, 24, is drawing on all his competitive spirit and discipline to rebuild his life.
“My main desire now is to be able to stand up, to walk,” he told the news agency at the rehab center where he is learning to walk with a prosthetic leg and to overcome multiple other injuries.
Almost three months after the accident he has taken his first unaided steps. There’s much more to come.
“I want to be able to go alone to the bathroom, to brush my teeth. All the simple things that people barely notice usually,” he said. Follmann left his home in the southern city of Alecrim when he was just 13, working his way through the gritty lower leagues, but always dreaming of making it to the first division.
The tragic reversal of what had seemed like a fairy tale success has not broken Follmann.

Brazilian crash survivor takes first new steps

AFP, Sao Paulo: When Brazilian goalkeeper Jakson Follmann took his first steps since surviving a plane crash that wiped out his football club, he called it a win with his hardest ever season just starting. Follmann was the reserve goalie of Chapecoense, which went from the most feelgood team in football-mad Brazil to a national tragedy. This was a lowly club that had fought its way to the finals of the regional Copa Sudamericana regional tournament. Then on November 28, almost the whole team was wiped out when the plane flying the players to Medellin, Colombia, for the big game crashed. Seventy one people died, including the star first choice goalkeeper Danilo. Follmann lost his right leg but was one of six miraculous survivors. Now the athlete, 24, is drawing on all his competitive spirit and discipline to rebuild his life. My main desire now is to be able to stand up, to walk, he told the news agency at the rehab center where he is learning to walk with a prosthetic leg and to overcome multiple other injuries. Almost three months after the accident he has taken his first unaided steps. Theres much more to come. I want to be able to go alone to the bathroom, to brush my teeth. All the simple things that people barely notice usually, he said. Follmann left his home in the southern city of Alecrim when he was just 13, working his way through the gritty lower leagues, but always dreaming of making it to the first division. The tragic reversal of what had seemed like a fairy tale success has not broken Follmann.