Rolling Stones
Rita Sarai, Aniko Sasadi, Viktor Beke and Peter Barkoczi have been Hungary’s one and only wheelchair curling team since it was established in September, 2019. Oliver Kerekes who has stood by them - or behind them if that’s what the game desired - from day one is not only their coach but also their friend, helper and if needed, their mental support person. The reason the team members are forced to live in a wheelchair is either because of an illness or accident. Before the disabled players’ life situation had taken such a drastic turn, some of them had been top athletes, while others had never played any sports in their lives. Regardless of their past, in the present they have been equally enthusiastic and devoted players of this seemingly easy game which in fact demands a high level of concentration and physical endurance.
Fighting to live a complete life
There are only around a hundred people in the world who were born without their arms or legs due to a serious birth defect. One of them is the 28 year old Szabolcs Kollinger who’s been suffering from Tetra - Amelia syndrome - an extremely rare autosomal recessive congenital disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs- since birth.
Szabolcs’s birthmother left him at the hospital in Dunapataj where he was born. He had been going from foster home to foster home for three years until Nok Lapja - a Hungarian magazine - published an article trying to find him a home. A 48 year old newsagent, a mother of two who herself was born without three of her limbs decided to adopt Szabolcs and became his loving mother.
He completed his elementary studies at the Movement Development Primary and Secondary School, Standardized Special Education Methodological Institute in Budapest where each student suffers from some kind of abnormality so no one has to feel different from the other. There they taught him how to feed himself, drink, get dressed and write using his mouth. Now he can swim, play soccer and even enjoys playing ping pong with his cousin.
For the past eight years he’s been living with his mother, elder sister and two of her children in Tahitotfalu. The most important thing in his room is his computer which connects him with the outside world. He also uses it to write his poems which he hopes can be published in the future with the help of a potential sponsor. With the help of a new, bionic artificial arm given to him from donations, he’s one step closer in realizing his only dream, to be more independent. He writes his own blog, has a few thousand followers on Facebook and started a YouTube channel as well where he constantly uploads new videos. Of course, he doesn’t spend his entire time sitting in front of the computer. He enjoys doing a variety of other activities such as going to movies, concerts, shopping, or walking his dog. He enjoys being in nature, often while listening to music through his earphones. He had his first exhibition displaying his paintings and poems in the village where he lives in 2015.
A life cut in half
In September of 2006, Adam Soczo, a lively young man, fell off a train on his way home from school under unknown circumstances. After suffering major head trauma, he had to go through a series of drastic surgeries. Since his equilibrium got damaged during the accident, he’s now forced to spend the rest of his life in bed and in his wheelchair. Lately, with the help of donations collected at a charity concert , he’s been receiving RTMS treatments which give him a glimmer of hope for some improvement regarding his condition.
The para equestrian
Pal Gazder was born on 5 August, 1982 in Tata. Due to a childhood accident involving fire crackers, he lost his left hand, injured the sensory nerves in his right hand and seriously damaged the eyesight in his left eye. It was in 2006 that following his father’s example, Paul tried horse riding for the first time and started to learn about equestrian life.
He has been a successful participant of the annual dressage competition organized by the Hungarian Equine Therapy Federation Foundation since 2013.
He couldn’t have done it without the support of Peter Edvi - head of the federation - and Gabriella Bozori - the director of the equine therapy centre. Andras Marosi, a representative of the Hungarian National Paralympic Committee, has also played an enormous role in his success by making it possible for him to get the right training necessary for his progress.
In 2016, Pal was invited by Zsolt Topar - head of the Hungarian Riding for Disabled Federation - to compete in the 2017 carriage driving World Cup in Hungary.
Since dressage is considered to be the foundation of all equestrian forms, Pal accepted the challenge particularly because his father was a carriage driver as well. He was also fuelled by his love for the equestrian sport and he wanted to prove to other handicapped people that it was possible. Thanks to Gyorgy Nyari ‘s help, Pal was able to prepare for the competitions and was ready to race.
He started the trainings enthusiastically and tested his knowledge and abilities throughout the regional competitions.