Ritesh's Story
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR TRAUMA STORY
I was fifteen, a creative mind, it was 23 Oct 2003, the day that completely changed my life. I was electrocuted with a high tension power transmission line, I do not remember much from that day. At the hospital when I came to my senses, 70% of my body was burned. What happened to me? Why did this happen to me? and why me? Those questions are still unanswered today. After 3 years of hospitalization, going through more than 10 operations including my right leg amputation. Before my amputation of my right leg, my dad didn't tell me, as he had no idea how to explain it to me. I have always been able (with the help of God and support from family and friends) to maintain a positive “can do” attitude.
The changes were challenging to get used to as I needed assistance with almost everything I did so freely before the accident. I spent months prior learning to walk with the new 
prosthetic leg. Then decided to complete my school. I was afraid of my own scars, trying to hide with my long sleeves, thinking what will people say or how would they react to my situation. But I'd say am a blessed person at least regarding my friends, school, work and life. I have many friends. After the accident, I could never imagined to go out and visit places, go on trips...not only in Goa. but I traveled to Rajasthan with my friends, and that was one of the turning point where I came to know that I have wings and that one leg short is no problem.
I try to maintain a very active lifestyle, and from time to time experience issues with my prosthesis. The prosthetic leg kept getting cracked and breaking, but that didn’t stop me, I fixed the leg sometimes at home on my own, you should come see my old leg I wore for first 15 years, it knows all the stories. After completing my engineering degree, I got selected in a German MNC Siemens ltd.I wanted do everything independently, slowly leaned to ride bike and bought one. Now I am a teacher by profession, teaching young minds to develop their skills and be self dependent.
I just want to be able to inspire as many people as I can and give them hope. I had no hope for my future, during my bedridden days. I was going through depression, and just thinking any crying ....asking myself....why me??
What was recovery like?
For almost six months I was not able to get up and go to the toilet by myself, I needed assistance with almost everything I did so freely before the accident. By that time I had severe bed sores on my body and muscle contractures. I had to undergo loads of physio at the hospital to learn to walk normally again. The changes were challenging. Doctors had warned that it would time to heal, but eventually they had to amputate my right leg. I spent months learning to walk with the new prosthetic leg. It took me almost three years to recover. It’s human nature to get demotivated when being in a negative situation, but I had realized that now this was my new life and I accepted it with a smile.
WHY DID YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE TSN PROGRAM? OR WHY DO YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY WITH OTHER SURVIVORS/LOVED ONES?
The thing is I don’t get inspired by normal people, I get inspiration from other special people like me. Then I decided that even if in a group of 1000 people if I could inspire one.... I have succeeded. Now I am so grateful I am alive and loving life and I just want to be able to tell people that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Just have the will to pass the darkness. Always say to yourself, "yes I can do it, and I will do it".
