Pillay’s inspiring story of resilience and triumph

SOUTH African Paralympic athlete Tyrone Pillay recently took first position in the shot put at the South African Championships in Cape Town.

Pillay was born with an impairment of the left leg, which wasn’t fully formed at birth, resulting in him needing prosthetics to walk. Pillay never let this stand in the way of his dreams. At the age of 14, he seized the opportunity to play cricket and learnt the valuable lessons of teamwork and having a positive attitude. When he realised he wouldn’t make the South African team, Pillay channelled his energy into field events, and at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, he won a bronze medal.

Pillay is an ambassador for a non-profit organisation which provides prosthetics for South African children living with lower extremity amputations. His story of courage and strength will motivate and inspire people to look beyond their disability and to never give up on their dreams. “Mobility means freedom, it means choice and opportunities,” said Pillay.