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My name is Jasmin Bambur and what follows in brief is my story. I'm originally from the
war torn country of Bosnia. When I was young, my family moved to Serbia in order to escape the
war. I spent my childhood and teenage years training to be a professional handball player with
the hopes of going to the Olympics. At the age of eighteen, I was drafted by the army and ordered
to fight in the war. I knew those orders were a death sentence, being of both Bosnian and Serbian
descent, my service would be short lived.
Therefore, I made a difficult decision to move to the United States and left behind my family,
friends, and my dreams of being a professional team handball player. I relocated to Indian Trail,
North Carolina and started a new life with a wonderful new family. I was blessed to have such an
exceptional opportunity to learn about American culture and live in an extraordinary country full
of possibilities. I even got a chance to play team handball for Middle Georgia College while
pursuing a college degree in International Business. I trained and studied hard with the dual
goals of graduation and the Olympics.
Those goals took an almost fatal blow on January 13, 2000. When driving home, late
that night from practice, I fell asleep at the wheel and hit a guardrail head on. I was severely
injured and the doctors said I had a small chance of surviving. Immediately my parents flew from
Serbia and were devastated to find their son fighting for life and ultimately unable to walk
again. A part of me died when I regained consciousness and learned that I was paralyzed. I felt
my hopes and ambitions fade away.
However, I realized that in this country, there are strong support systems for paraplegics
with endless possibilities. I underwent rehabilitation at the Shepard Center and learned to
fight for the life I always dreamed of and faced all of the obstacles placed in my path. I
graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor's degree in
International Business. I married my beautiful wife, Sarah, in May of 2007 and we are
expecting a baby girl on July 1st.
The only time in my life I feel free from my wheelchair is when I ski. I would ski night
and day if I could. I have been training competitively for two years. I have placed in the
top three in several races. I have been published in the following North Carolina
newspaper: Charlotte Observer, Mountain Times, and Raleigh News and Observer. Recently,
CNN did an article
about my journey to the Paralympics. I fulfilled my dream of competing
in the Paralympics in Vancouver, Canada. It was a once in lifetime experience and so truly
humbling to compete with some of the best athletes in the world. I am so grateful for all
those you supported me in reaching my goals. I look forward to training the next four years
in preparation for the Paralympic Games in Sochi, 2014.
The major expenses I incur are equipment and travel. I sincerely appreciate you support
and assistance in making my dreams a reality. All donations are tax deductible under the
non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, Turning Point. I promise to regularly update you on
my progress as testimony of what your generosity has helped achieve. Please
call (704) 779-1461 or email at dzas1@hotmail.com if
you are interested in supporting me as I train for another Paralympic Games. Thank you
very much for your time and consideration!
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