Injured: 23 April 1983, aged 23, playing flyhalf in a club fixture for Excelsior Rugby Club in Middleburg when he sustained an incomplete C6 spinal cord injury — a moment that changed the course of his life but not the strength of his spirit. Although he still has no sensation on the right side of his body, Jan remains remarkably positive. His hands are most at home working with wood, and he pours that optimism into crafting furniture. He dreams of the day his RDP home is complete so that he can furnish it with pieces he builds himself, and eventually grow his passion into a source of income. Jan also finds joy in the soil. His garden is a patchwork of spinach, mielies, tomatoes, onions, and beetroot — each plant a small testament to his patience and persistence.
“After my injury, my teammates lifted me up, put me on a roof sheet to carry me off the field. There was no ambulance around which meant it took me a long time to get to hospital. Years on, I am now painting and making furniture for a living.”