The Journey From Tragedy to Triumph and Inclusion
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In November 1999, I was 23 and in my fourth year of Production Engineering. I was a few months out of a difficult seven-year relationship. I started to visit new places and make new friendships and thought life had started to smile at me again until I was involved in a car accident in the São Paulo mountains.
The crash was brutal, and my survival was nothing short of miraculous. However, I sustained a spinal cord injury which left me paralyzed.
Following the accident, I was engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions and uncertainties.
What would my life be like? Would I walk again? How would my paralysis affect college, my social life, and my professional life?
During my 45-day hospitalization, the unwavering support of my loved ones was my cornerstone. I realized the true value of companionship over material possessions and discovered who my real friends were.
As I adjusted to life in a wheelchair, I encountered the stark reality that society often sees the disability before the person.
Entering any space in a wheelchair attracts attention. But I refused to be defined by my chair. I changed my posture and attitude, and soon, so did people's perceptions. My wheelchair became a mere extension of the vivacious individual I was — not a symbol of limitation.
I underwent physiotherapy at a clinic where they organized weekend meets. Despite having a great relationship with everyone, I wasn't interested in trips to the zoo or botanical gardens. It just wasn’t my thing.
Before the accident, I played a lot of sports. So when one of the physiologists at the clinic called and asked if I had thought about skydiving, I was immediately interested.
On the day of the jump, we spent hours at the skydiving center discussing how we could make an adapted jump. Nobody had attempted one in Brazil before. One minute in free fall and another eight minutes flying through the sky.
It was another turning point in my life. If I could skydive, I could do anything!
My professional journey resumed with a newfound zest. I learned English, dove into Six Sigma certification, and climbed the ranks at an American multinational. Each step — from entering data into SAP to becoming a business intelligence specialist — was a testament to my resilience and an opportunity to defy expectations.
Cisco has been a pivotal chapter in my career, and where I've been able to amplify my voice and grow personally and professionally.
My proudest achievement is establishing the first Cisco CDAN (Connected Disability Action Network) in Latin America, a community championing diversity and inclusion and fostering a supportive environment for professionals with disabilities.
Concurrently, my personal life presented its own trials. My wife and I struggled with infertility, a journey that stretched our resilience to its limits.
After countless disappointments and the emotional toll of IVF, we contemplated giving up. Yet it was her steadfast belief in pursuing our dreams that kept us going. It was that perseverance that led to the joy of fatherhood and our son, Murilo, means the absolute world to us both.
Today, I'm not just a Cisco employee or a man in a wheelchair. I'm a father, a husband, an advocate, and a living proof that determination can turn the bleakest moments into a legacy of inspiration.
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