From Survival to Paralympic Success. Andreas Onea on Defying Limits and Bionic Innovation.

00:00:00: Today's episode is a special edition of Taste Of Bionics.

00:00:03: We are in Berlin and it´s live recording with an audience.

00:00:07: Andreas Ohnia is Paralympic Swimmer TV presenter, Offer & Resilience applicant.

00:00:29: After the accident I was still in kindergarten... ...and of course children noticed that Andy only had one arm but one of them was very direct said now you can't fight me anymore!

00:00:40: And for the first time in my life I heard, you can't do that.

00:00:43: and i didn't want to accept it.

00:01:06: We were visiting relatives of Romania.

00:01:08: we wanted to bring our grandfather to Austria so he could visit us.

00:01:12: About ten kilometers after crossing the Romanian-Hungarian border It started raining heavily.

00:01:20: Later authorities told me there had been oil on the road.

00:01:24: That caused my father lose control over his car.

00:01:27: He wasn't speeding or drinking alcohol.

00:01:29: My left arm was wrapped in the seatbelt and I had fallen asleep, leaning against it.

00:01:35: The car rolled over and crossed into oncoming traffic And when i was thrown from the vehicle... ...the seat belt locked & tore off my arm!

00:01:42: I was thrown fifteen to twenty meters through the air.. ..and landed a roadside ditch.

00:01:47: Realistically....The impact alone should have killed me instantly With an open wound close to my heart.....I should've bled to death within minutes To me...... It's an absolute miracle that I survived.

00:02:01: There is a photo of me at the age five, wearing water wings and trying to stay afloat.

00:02:06: That was my very first conscious experience with Water.

00:02:17: During rehabilitation he first tried many different sports.

00:02:21: The coaches noticed his potential in swimming And eventually focused almost entirely on swim training.

00:02:32: That's when I realised, that i could move through the water independently and freely.

00:02:37: And it was incredible!

00:02:59: For me...

00:03:00: It is such an incredible moment.

00:03:02: Eighteen years after the accident.. ..I were standing on a Paralympic podium and had fulfilled this dream.

00:03:07: I always wanted to be an active part of my family.

00:03:13: I never wanted others have do things for

00:03:15: me because

00:03:16: i couldn't do them myself.

00:03:18: Having this prosthesis is a huge relief and incredible support Even though life with the prosthesis has been challenge.

00:03:29: he fought, learned how live it And Im proud truly taken control of your life.

00:03:37: Really, it brings me great joy and I'm truly proud.

00:03:41: Hi everyone!

00:03:43: So i am Sarah Delagarde And im going to be doing this in English so hope that's okay for you.

00:04:01: I do describe myself as being eighty percent human and twenty percent bionic.

00:04:05: I feel that you and i have a similarity here.

00:04:10: This

00:04:10: makes me ninety percent human, ten percent Bionics if my math adds up right?

00:04:15: Yeah just to give the insight...I do have a prosthetic leg but That was incredible to watch And honestly there are so many similarities between What happened to you and what happened to me?

00:04:32: But the first question that I have is, what's your reaction... ...to viewing your life so well filmed aswell.

00:04:41: And you had no sight of it until now.

00:04:45: How do you feel ?

00:04:46: I mean i was there when we did filming.

00:04:48: Of course its my live story.

00:04:56: It something completely different from another perspective.

00:05:01: I always have my perspective.

00:05:02: I tell my story, try to give funny and important insights... ...and try to move people and change something for them.

00:05:11: And see that someone else with a lot of talented people put so much work and thought in the long days and nights into MY story is just... So rewarding and to see that the result is just moving.

00:05:28: And it moved me, especially in moments with my father... ...with my kids winning the Paralympic medal which was almost two-to-day ten years ago.

00:05:42: Just incredible to watch!

00:05:44: I'm so excited we have this and can share it….

00:05:47: …and hopefully has meaningful impact on us as

00:05:50: well.

00:05:51: It left me super emotional And I don't even know you for that long, but now I feel like do because what really appreciated was the story.

00:06:00: Both of us weren't born like this and we both acquired our limb loss at different stages in life... I mean i acquired mine five years ago again also an accident But you were six!

00:06:15: That is quite a defining moment to be born with four limbs surviving an accident that you had very little chances to survive as well.

00:06:28: As a six-year old, how does it feel to be seen differently?

00:06:36: I guess... It's two sided!

00:06:38: I think it is easier and i don't want talk for everyone but just from my perspective.

00:06:43: I think its easier when your this young because if you realise the arm has gone then it will never come back And you just want to have fun and show everybody else what we can do with one arm.

00:06:54: So from that perspective, it makes it easier on the other side... ...to see I was not having a problem with me missing an arm.

00:07:03: The others were the ones who had problems Especially being confronted….

00:07:08: …I talked about this in my film for a brief moment.

00:07:13: Like the first thing i heard when I was in touch with my colleagues who knew me before with two arms was, oh now you cannot do this and that.

00:07:23: So I was confronted with their reality... ...that some of the disability can't do stuff And it's hurt especially as a child If i tell my son he will not be able to do something You guess what?

00:07:35: He'll do next exactly what I just forbid him.

00:07:38: so hearing in different situations from different people.. ..I realized okay People really believe that I cannot do this stuff and like mundane stuff, but also complicated.

00:07:51: Like visionary stuff... ...I was not the one who would partake when they chose the sports team.. ..I was the one left behind and was chosen last because everyone assumed that missing one arm means you're bad at sports.

00:08:06: Spoiler alert!

00:08:07: I'm very good But being confronted with that reality I really had to decide, and it's crazy that as a six-year old i decided... ...I won't let this affect me.

00:08:21: But my parents didn't know what was going on with them because they heard things like these happen.

00:08:29: so I just had to realise for myself okay.. ..I need something in order to go my own way or be affected by the one who is left behind And who's the one losing?

00:08:43: This would be me.

00:08:44: I don't want to lose, so... ...I need to take a decision and go on and make the best of

00:08:49: it.".

00:08:49: Yeah!

00:08:50: I totally can sympathise with that aspect as well because….

00:08:54: …I felt that personally – are you beeping or is it

00:08:57: me?!

00:09:00: Now i'm not beeping anymore!

00:09:02: It was just funny because thats only problem people with prosthesis could understand like all of sudden it beeps.. ..and IT COULD BE THE

00:09:09: BATTERY!!

00:09:11: The battery operated people.

00:09:14: No, but I can totally sympathise with this idea of perception right?

00:09:18: So when i acquired my limb loss... ...I noticed straight away waking up in hospital.. ..I was sitting in a wheelchair and my husband was driving me around the wood And When People would talk to us They Would Talk To My Husband About Me While I Was Sitting In The Wheelchair!

00:09:38: only a few days into my new adventure.

00:09:41: And it gave me this indication straight away that my world was going to change forever, not because of the struggles I was going have to adapt but more about the perception people will have with me and so... This idea you talk about like choices.

00:09:57: they make these judgments before even opening your mouth.

00:10:04: It can really have an impact on confidence But it depends on the type of person, so I think you are a type-of-person that if she... If i say You can't do this.

00:10:15: It's going to spur your own to wanting to prove me wrong

00:10:20: Especially because when I was able to walk again Because there were like better bound for few days having no balances and stuff.

00:10:31: I wanted to play with the other kids and doctors, everyone told me no.

00:10:34: You have to watch yourself you have stay low then get well And i just want it be with them so that they can do something.

00:10:45: So had find a way of being able to save but also play with them To stand up walk out in the room go into playing ground But not hurt myself because almost open wound.

00:11:00: Finding solutions was something that I had to do early if i wanted To be part of the situations where others are part Of.

00:11:09: so, think in a way The early adversity That you've seen from?

00:11:14: The children around You marking.

00:11:16: You as being different physically.

00:11:19: Do you Think that developed your resilience that it developed Your confidence In wanting to do things?

00:11:28: anyway people underestimated you, and you were so keen to tell them what actually your wrong.

00:11:36: That led you to the swimming

00:11:38: pool.".

00:11:40: I find this hilarious because i am so terrified of water!

00:11:44: I think I've always been but now that I have two limbs missing...I mean..i tried to go into a swimming pool.... I turn in circles.

00:11:57: But you chose as an element?

00:12:00: Tell me more about that choice in itself and how hard it was, the first time you entered into water.

00:12:07: Yeah so basically... It's a hard choice because I hate water!

00:12:12: What?!

00:12:13: You too?

00:12:15: It is a choice made for myself.

00:12:18: Nobody told what it means to be a swimmer at six years old.

00:12:21: So during my rehabilitation phase it was crucial see so many different things, play different sports get in touch with different people.

00:12:34: And while I was training and getting myself back on my feet there was a swimmer who was preparing for the Paralympic Games at Sydney to come back with a silver medal – Thomas Rosenberger!

00:12:49: For the first time.

00:12:50: i had this touch point that did something amazing Huge going to the Paralympics, they're going through Olympics winning a medal.

00:13:00: So this really touched me and showed me that look at him his training is preparing Like every other swimmer?

00:13:07: The only difference is he's in a wheelchair He has family here as a job And he wins medals.

00:13:13: Who cares?

00:13:14: so just like really showed me That it's possible and with dad seeing that he won a medal It just showed me maybe I can do that as well.

00:13:24: I was a non-swimmer before the accident, so i had no relationship to water and swimming or water sports but just having this enabling experience in the phase of my life where everyone told me that I cannot do stuff... ...and look at me!

00:13:38: I learned how swim for like few weeks with one arm.

00:13:42: it's something so enabling making feel good about myself building up confidence that I continued swimming And

00:13:53: then you never stopped.

00:13:54: I never stopped, and as i said it's not... So uh..I will rephrase it!

00:14:00: I would be a better footballer than the swimmer but I landed in water.

00:14:05: so its good It worked out ,and have my medals was able to perform But swimming is brutal Its hard !

00:14:14: I think your daughter is swimming.

00:14:16: You know exactly what this means.

00:14:18: and do your training sets, everything hurts.

00:14:23: The whole day is just lying in bed trying to not think about the next session but it pays off!

00:14:30: I think this sport really proved that at a very young age if i invest in something... ...it doesn't matter because only five fingers can reach my goals.

00:14:44: I think it's quite extraordinary that you are able to keep up the pace of those training schedules, because my daughter swims competitively.

00:14:53: She is fifteen and...

00:14:57: It's

00:14:57: incredibly disciplined!

00:15:00: You have to get up at five a.m.. To get into the pool any given time as well – winter or cold… And so it builds an incredible skill set of discipline and willpower, right?

00:15:16: Would you say that you have a bags-of-will power now.

00:15:22: I'm thirty four now so it's still going!

00:15:25: It is brutal sport but especially for some disability having the early touch points to learn those lessons myself... and I had seasons, moments in my career especially at like fifteen-sixteen where i was not intrigued with training.

00:15:44: I saw that my performances weren't going well.

00:15:48: So, had to make a decision again.

00:15:49: okay if i want to win medals If I wanted go to the Paralympics and win something there... ...I need to be disciplined with myself.. ..I have to prepare everything around me And do everything in power so everyone would profit from it left sense for our lives like that, so this is something I learned from sports very early on and still profit in every aspect of life.

00:16:21: What i picked up was you talked about a role model?

00:16:26: You need to see someone like doing something incredible that you then feel like, okay I've been given license to try this myself.

00:16:36: So... You are kind of turning the surround now?

00:16:39: YOU ARE becoming a role model!

00:16:41: How do you feel about

00:16:42: THAT?!

00:16:59: Trust me that I can do stuff.

00:17:01: Why would they assume?

00:17:02: That if i'm missing an arm, then I cannot do stuff?

00:17:05: and the answer was They don't have touch points with people of disabilities.

00:17:09: because what we do in our society even though We have fifteen percent People with disabilities worldwide which is like almost two billion people What we do is you don't include we exclude.

00:17:19: Oh, you have a disability.

00:17:20: There's some special thing for you.

00:17:21: go there and then no touch point with kids or other people No opportunities to Go work be productive part of our society.

00:17:31: So that is what we do And without the touchpoint Of course they don't know What I am able because They dont see me.

00:17:38: We need visibility and create touchpoints For them so i can know That im able.

00:17:44: But I needed the touch point as well.

00:17:59: Wow, he's just doing it.

00:18:00: He doesn't care that people assume is not able to do with his just doing this.

00:18:04: going to the Paralympics and I want to do that as well.

00:18:06: yeah you didn't mention in the beginning when we started swimming there wasn't a swimming opportunity.

00:18:13: has a disabled person.

00:18:15: so they wanted you too.

00:18:17: stop but your insisting that you would want to swim with people are able bodied.

00:18:24: so this segregation i find quite dangerous because it takes away the understanding, education and empathy that we need to have as a society.

00:18:35: What stuck with me is discovering that the amputee community has over sixty million people worldwide.

00:18:43: That's the size of the population in France.

00:18:45: It was huge!

00:18:47: And what is important is our understanding that anyone at any point could join this membership that nobody wants to really be part of, but this ability isn't something you can avoid per se.

00:19:07: But also when I'm thinking about ageing populations is with age our mobility decreases so it's not a thing we could run away from forever.

00:19:18: at some point health will catch up on us.

00:19:21: So i like the fact to inspire you, get into the pool that now have closed a loop.

00:19:31: That's exciting!

00:19:33: I will hope my daughter gets to talk with me because she is now fifteen and has some exams this year coming up.

00:19:40: so she takes a pause on swimming.

00:19:43: but at fifteen taking a pause from sport which takes time is just temptation to do stuff.

00:19:55: The one topic that we have to talk about is, um... We have to compare notes on our bionic arms.

00:20:01: So I explain it to audiences generally when two prosthetic wearers meet each other and say what do you have?

00:20:12: I've the newest one!

00:20:15: It's a bit like comparing iPhones.

00:20:19: Tell me your setup

00:20:23: changed for me with the new Michelangelo is that I'm able to be way more productive.

00:20:29: With a hand, i am able change settings and modes without interacting Especially when I do stuff on TV and it just needs to work.

00:20:43: Um, i have full control now.

00:20:45: um...I had two electrodes before.

00:20:47: Now i have six so Way more possibilities And opportunities To use in a productive way!

00:20:53: Of course the Michelangelo doesn't get tired.

00:20:56: I can help myself with The kids..I Can carry them around ..i Have So many bags.

00:21:03: When you have three kids, there are so many bags.

00:21:07: I don't know if it's the same for everyone else and i can take some of them from my wife And just help be a productive part of our family life which is something that... ...I always wanted!

00:21:18: I didn't want to like Be the reason that there was a kid in the house and then not being able To contribute or not be able to help and carry them around Or put them into their chair.

00:21:30: So This is something that really, really changed for the better from me.

00:21:36: And especially in a relationship I had very early on with knowing it would get a prosthetic arm because we were lucky and we were insured.

00:21:48: so i had the right to get my prosthetic arms just after the accident... ...and then knew they will help me but not be my second arm.

00:22:00: but it helped me to have a perspective that there's some technology.

00:22:04: It is like robotic arm, I like robots and I liked being in the bionic version of them.

00:22:10: I think they were fun for my colleagues who made them appreciate whom i am what can do or learn.

00:22:17: so having this relationship early on with the prosthetic arm really helps be able to accept my situation also turn around because of course this an eye catcher This is a touch point, this something that I can show people how technology enables me to partake in the workforce and our family life.

00:22:36: To be part of our society because there are new functions which we update via the app... ...which is just amazing when you think about it!

00:22:44: Yeah..I find that exciting as well.

00:22:47: And one reason why i decided not go for The plastic Barbie-armed look was that I remember when I was wheeled into the operating theater, told a surgeon and in hindsight.

00:23:09: do all the surgery you need in order to save my life.

00:23:11: I need to return and see my family, but please can you not replace it with a Barbie arm?

00:23:15: I want kick ass robot arm!

00:23:18: You got

00:23:19: one?!

00:23:20: Well eventually... But i guess the surgeon at that time must have thought oh poor woman she doesn't understand like its gonna take some time because It does takes some time To understand how it works Because it doesn't work the same way as your biological arm does, right?

00:23:35: The connection in your brain is completely different.

00:23:38: So how was it for you to learn... I want to say like a machine that's not true but to think prosthetically.

00:23:49: It helped us when we started really early on.

00:23:52: I think Stefan was with me half-a year after my accident and had the first pictures trying to find where I still have muscles left, control them and some impulses for the electrodes.

00:24:04: So we started really early on.

00:24:07: it helped that i was already active in swimming And one thing my coach always tells me is move your left arm as well.

00:24:15: so every movement when you do strokes goes with right arm wouldn't be moved and would not be used, are still like responding to my signals.

00:24:29: And this helps me find the right positions for the

00:24:32: electrodes.".

00:24:33: Of course as a child every three months you get new prosthetic arms because they grow so fast!

00:24:39: You do some measurements.

00:24:40: when Stefan came back it wasn't good anymore.

00:24:43: we had everything over again... It was just fun being part of that.

00:24:48: I knew that my colleagues didn't see or See Stefan come with all kind of complicated software stuff and amazing things.

00:24:58: And he explained it to me, took on the road... ...and we had a train which I was moving my missing arm Which is like amazing!

00:25:10: To be able to experience that.

00:25:11: It's something that took away fear from getting my robotic arm Pleasant, something that I wanted to share with others.

00:25:20: Something that I want you live through the fullest myself because it just amazed

00:25:26: me.".

00:25:26: Yeah...I mean i do get that moment of wonder every now and then especially when all sudden your grip strength really really outshines this hand!

00:25:36: You know?

00:25:37: I did meet with professional boxer Anthony Joshua once And he's like a six foot whatever giant and with enormous hands.

00:25:45: And I was like, oh can i challenge you to a bionic hand shape?

00:25:49: You can once!

00:25:50: Yes satisfying it was but yeah I was bit scared afterwards.

00:25:53: so um... But uh..but I totally see the effort that it takes as well to go through the training.

00:26:00: So I saw in that documentary The scene where you were controlling with your non-existing arm.

00:26:12: So I like the fact that there was some playfulness involved in this as well, because i think it helps right especially at that young age to understand how technology is going to support you but in a playful way.

00:26:26: have we lost that playfulness with technology though?

00:26:29: I mean another child anymore.

00:26:30: so...I don't know what.

00:26:31: uh..the use case right now.

00:26:35: for me it's very helpful Cool, and we had computers.

00:26:41: And Stefan was showing me... We have graphs people showed.

00:26:44: now look if you touch the electrode here You do this impulse, this grows.

00:26:48: This will get smaller.

00:26:52: Trying to challenge myself and try to hold as fast and strong As I can reach new records With that.

00:26:59: just make it something fun.

00:27:01: for me It's been fun!

00:27:02: For Stefan of course he worked so he has to work made it easy and I guess we need to make it easier not just for the child, but my parents as well.

00:27:15: They saw that the whole process of getting my prosthetic arm was something that i enjoyed.

00:27:24: I remember it again, my arm is missing and i have to have a prosthetic arm.

00:27:29: It's not something that was heavy

00:27:31: because you become quite pragmatic in the end right?

00:27:34: You see like well... The arms gone.

00:27:35: this is good enough just can work!

00:27:38: And its exciting because you discover whole new world

00:27:41: especially Because he realizes as a child there no other choice.

00:27:45: what are the options?

00:27:46: the arm will not come back so..i could be like heavy and have it grow hard on me or It is how it is.

00:27:54: Let's have fun!

00:27:56: Now let's stick on the fun bit because that's a comment I receive quite often, people tend to think i'm very smiley and positive and optimistic And I get this question saying like How do you do that?

00:28:11: Because if were in your situation... ...I wouldn't find this as exciting as you do To replace your limbs with some tools.

00:28:22: How do you navigate that mental health space?

00:28:26: Because not every day is going to be a happy, how would you deal with the downside.

00:28:35: It's of course something very individual.

00:28:38: I cannot for my life remember when i was down because of my disability... ...I'm missing out on some really hard training sessions or some metal.

00:28:50: I cannot remember forever being...I know that this is something very personal and not everyone has to feel the same way.

00:28:56: For me it was like, It happened!

00:28:59: There's a reason for that.

00:29:00: accept that i wanna have fun in that way but of course when there are moments getting punched because you're disabled or they just make fun of you Ofcourse thats not easy but I had to do something that did my whole life.

00:29:20: I have to take a decision, will let it hurt me or would just be resilient and show them there is another way?

00:29:32: Showing us we can change this energy for good in our society.

00:29:42: I guess that's how i'm wired.

00:29:44: I know we're not everyone the same, it is okay and good!

00:29:51: But for me this was a right approach to just fuel myself with so much energy after situations like these... ...and be able go on working and keep grinding and giving my best hopefully changing something.

00:30:08: And you talked about being able to swim with the non-disabled, I realized that they don't want to have me so i needed To find a way to show it.

00:30:18: and then I have to be there.

00:30:20: one of my first competitions I got disqualified because I touched the wall With just one arm and the rules Of course say You have to touch The Wall with two arms?

00:30:28: If There are any Austrians here...I know in Germany It's similar.

00:30:32: Rules Are rules and rules are holy.

00:30:34: So if the rule book says you have to touch the wall with two arms, so they disqualified me.

00:30:40: And later on I heard that it wasn't... They wanted to enforce the rules of their opinion and had nothing do there because i have a disability?

00:30:50: I am not welcome here!

00:30:53: This hurt.. So either accept or change it everything that I had and raised with them.

00:31:05: And for every competition, i talked to the referees and explained him this situation and explain our Paralympic rules.

00:31:13: so they know we have no advantage because of missing an arm.

00:31:18: In the end... ...I won a B-final at the national championships for non-disabled.

00:31:24: So it was the ninth fastest Austrian on the two hundred meter breaststroke championship which showed me I have a place there, but... ...I was the one who had to go forward.

00:31:36: To make that change.

00:31:38: and now everyone with disability can compete at national competitions of non-disabled people in Austria.

00:31:44: Why?

00:31:45: Because i did not give up And changed something.

00:31:49: So this showed me That it pays off to Have vision to wanna effect change never, never give up and to find the solution.

00:32:01: To find a way... And now I have parents writing me telling that doctors told them their kids will not be able to swim.

00:32:08: they saw on television about my results.

00:32:12: They just went with it!

00:32:14: They went through swimming pool and learned how to swim because they saw me.

00:32:17: So i can in this position That when was needed as little child which means so much.

00:32:25: I think we can applaud this for a second, yeah?

00:32:36: Change is very important... ...for innovation.

00:32:41: And yet it's one of the things that people find the hardest to do because in essence change protects you and they are tried-and-tested ways That takes uncertainty out of their way.

00:32:54: Do You Think Sometimes We Need To Really Be In A Position Either Where Were So Close To Death And we escape it and survive, therefore build a mission or purpose.

00:33:08: That purpose is to change the world for better place regardless of which area you are in.

00:33:18: For me public transport happened from falling onto train tracks when I got run over by two trains.

00:33:32: pressure to find our purpose?

00:33:36: I mean, it certainly helped because it made things very clear.

00:33:41: It makes it clear!

00:33:42: Yes... It's really very clear and i knew at first hand what I'm passionate about..I knew that everything has to pay into changing the system for other kids with disabilities in a broad aspect not just sports but society as well.

00:34:02: I was lucky that my teacher, uh...was the one who's like yeah i don't care if he is missing an arm.

00:34:08: of course you can start school with a disability in our regular school system.

00:34:14: otherwise nobody would have taken me and accident wasn´t May.

00:34:17: And..I would've had no schools in September.

00:34:20: so ..i was dependent on someone seeing myself with them as something completely normal.

00:34:29: but this shouldn't be something that we depend on people, it should be systematically embedded and everyone should have the same chance.

00:34:37: And they don't have it!

00:34:38: This is something I cannot accept so i have to do something to change it.

00:34:43: of course visibility in sports or media helps because you create touch points which are very positive.

00:34:49: When you win a medal, everyone is happy.

00:34:51: Yeah everybody likes the winner!

00:34:52: Exactly

00:34:53: when you lose it nobody's happy.

00:34:55: I lost more medals than i've won in my career but that's another story.

00:34:59: But with that now You get to show.

00:35:02: look at me?

00:35:03: I did It...I made it.. I trained for it ..I never gave up ...I didn't accept the nose.... I Didn't accept excuses That its not possible.

00:35:12: and Now we have changed something For The Better.

00:35:14: Okay now let's think about Something Where Everyone Says okay thats Not Possible.

00:35:18: We cannot do that in our society.

00:35:20: Inclusion is hard, it's complicated and expensive.

00:35:24: It's something that complicates things And you have to think about so many aspects.

00:35:29: Stop with the excuses and start doing this.

00:35:32: This is a thing we can be living examples In our aspect of life where there are expertise But at the end we change our society for better With that changed lives For people My parents coming from Romania, if the accident would have happened while we were in Romania.

00:35:49: I would've had no chance to get my beautiful prosthetic arm.

00:35:54: To be able go school and work... ...I'd been dragging the family behind being a burden on them.

00:36:02: because that's how people with disabilities are seen.

00:36:06: And i got to feel it first hand when i fell in love when i was like eighteen years old or something and I was already a Paralympian, like winning stuff.

00:36:18: And i expressed my interest in the young girl... ...and her parents told here to not go further with me or interact with me.. ..and it really hurt because at the end they were afraid of working out!

00:36:38: How will be able bring food on table for family if have disability?

00:36:44: And I was like really, really hurt.

00:36:46: So this is how people see me as a young man with the ability that... ...I will not be able to provide for my family and realize of course it hurts but i need to change that so.. ..i need prove that I'll be able tp provide from my family.

00:37:02: Thank God!

00:37:03: I'm able to provided by three kids ,my wife and proving that its possible.

00:37:08: But now he needs to be systematically implemented.

00:37:12: Everyone needs to provide with a disability for their families and have the chances of contributing with talents, if I can do something about it.

00:37:21: this is worth way more than any amount that could've won in my career.

00:37:26: Round of applause here?

00:37:38: That's making me emotional because i totally see that happening as an adult.

00:37:44: You know, I acquired my disability when i was mid-forties and already had a career.

00:37:50: Already had built up that confidence That fixed skin that I needed.

00:37:54: but it didn't prepare me into sliders to some of the reactions.

00:37:59: Don't get me wrong if kids point at me And ask funny questions?I have A lot Of patience for that.

00:38:05: But um When its adults and finger pointing, asking really strange questions where you're like... You are not asking this because your interested.

00:38:15: You just want to satisfy your morbid curiosity.

00:38:19: That's when my sharing instinct stops.

00:38:22: When I'm like okay Just grab a book Watch your documentary So..I can understand that frustration.

00:38:30: It is quite hard breaking though when you were eighteen And it was your love interest.

00:38:34: I'm glad they worked out better for you in the end.

00:38:37: It did, but look at what you just told me.

00:38:42: of course i was very naked very early in my career.

00:38:45: so when you start swimming at six years old um You are pretty exposed with your disability?

00:38:51: I was not able to hide it So I had to learn to see that everyone around Me.

00:38:57: Of Course there Was The First Stair and There Was The first Finger Pointing And I needed to take a decision for me how i will find the way to live with that.

00:39:09: But not only live with it, but use it for something.

00:39:12: and now when do my training?

00:39:15: there are schools and kids... It's good that have my training sessions in public pool where our school is coming into training.

00:39:23: of course kids very curious.. ..and think its best opportunity for create new touch point.

00:39:30: and when I see them, i approach them in a nice way.

00:39:35: And of course it's easier with kids.

00:39:38: um...and they just ask him hey do you want to know something?

00:39:41: They would ask how?

00:39:43: what happened?

00:39:44: why don't you have two arms?

00:39:45: where is the arm?

00:39:46: ?

00:39:48: What are doing here?

00:39:49: ?

00:39:50: I tell them yeah had an accident !

00:39:52: I'm glad that survived.

00:39:53: now I am swimmer and win medals ...and they're like WHAT

00:39:56: ?!

00:39:58: Now YOU CANNOT SWIM WITH ONE ARM.

00:39:59: IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

00:40:00: I will show you.

00:40:02: Come join me and then they raise me, try to beat me... Hopefully we'll go home tell their parents there was a guy with one arm.

00:40:10: he's fast happy fun created the positive touch point.

00:40:16: hopefully those kids won't have problems when meeting someone else for disability When i found my new club with non-disabled all my colleagues, and I'm sure that none of them will ever have problems with accepting people with disabilities.

00:40:36: Why?

00:40:37: Because they were doing something fun with me on a regular basis.

00:40:42: That's why we need inclusion in our society!

00:40:45: We need to be everywhere –in arts, sports or culture… In politics... In the economic world.. In the workforce….

00:40:52: We need touchpoints everywhere.

00:40:53: With that …we won't have any problem When we get to meet new people with disabilities or when our loved ones, because they will get older and you pointed out that fact.

00:41:05: Will acquire a disability?

00:41:07: Or chances are pretty high with one in five people having this ability.

00:41:13: if I start counting like one two three four five chance of pretty high.

00:41:16: at some point We'll have a touchpoint With dad.

00:41:19: when we make our society inclusive ready we all win the end.

00:41:25: But also, crucially... I'll tell you one thing that i will miss probably forever is the fact that I can't clap with two hands because it makes no noise doesn't?

00:41:44: It doesn't work very good but funny things.

00:41:48: So I normally clap like on my thigh and when my big one who's three-and a half years now he came to competitions or watched me He always would clap like this.

00:42:02: Why?

00:42:02: Because that's how he saw me.

00:42:05: We had to like a very complicated way try to teach him, but he has two hands and can clap the normal way because that is what he saw!

00:42:14: He saw me clap like this so he wanted to clap his father.

00:42:18: So it was important for young people especially children with different disabilities That we can really have lasting change and lasting impact.

00:42:35: Yeah, but it's funny you say that about children because when I acquired my disability My Children were the first ones to see a future path.

00:42:44: When i was still in hospital thinking my life is over In broad strokes They had drawn A drawing.

00:42:53: they took To The Hospital And It Was My Husband Myself Them Two Or Four Cats And they had already drawn me with a robotic arm and a robotic leg.

00:43:03: So before I even contemplated the idea of returning to society looking like that, they already knew that I was going to return like that.

00:43:13: Today... They don't…I'm pretty sure they don't see it.

00:43:19: I see it all the time because I remember my body board looked like before but their friends didn't seem to see it maybe in first meeting and then they would stop looking.

00:43:33: And I think that ability at young age to understand, well okay... They might ask a few questions but afterwards the exceptions there say alright ok fair enough.

00:43:42: so now if i try my teenage daughter can you clean your room please?

00:43:47: I'm not gonna do it for you!

00:43:49: I am disabled.

00:43:49: she's like Don't pull the disabled card with me.

00:43:54: But now we have the new Michelangelo.

00:43:56: So my wife is giving me the vacuum cleaner.

00:44:11: Are you sure?

00:44:13: Yeah.

00:44:14: You can use it and then I like vacuum the apartment.

00:44:18: so no excuses anymore, yeah true

00:44:20: but i guess with innovation let's talk a bit about the future because that something that i'm quite interested in.

00:44:25: So your prosthetic setup does work with artificial intelligence as well.

00:44:32: What do you think?

00:44:35: what would be on your wish list for next developments?

00:44:39: just uh some context Swimmer.

00:44:43: so that's not my field of expertise to talk about the technology.

00:44:46: just you Understand how I see it is?

00:44:49: That future innovation will make my prosthetic arm even more Individually adapted to me.

00:44:57: So, remember when Stefan came with my first prosthetic arms.

00:45:00: i got it and It stayed the same until he came for then next visit.

00:45:06: And at first, of course the visits were very high frequency.

00:45:12: But later on it was like once a year or every two years when we needed to adapt something so that prosthetic arms stayed the same.

00:45:19: Basically my new prosthetic arm is everyday A new way...a new opportunity to adapt and find solutions for some use cases I have with over-the-air updates to some new functions that they can implement, which just permanently helps me be better in the things I need to do and where the prosthetic arm helps.

00:45:47: So it learns with me... ...I completely individualize everything on my app….

00:45:53: …I control things that were not thinkable before already worked out like some working modes where I set up the prosthetic arms for my moderation, so when i do speaking because I know that I need this specific movement in that way.

00:46:11: So I can prepare everything and just note it works.

00:46:15: And uh... It will get even more individualized!

00:46:19: This is a great chance to help everyone be able to partake of society with technology Because you don't have hope that it fits someone, you are able to like go really deep into the details and help for their specific need with a specific solution on scale.

00:46:42: And this is crucial factor which I mean was involved in process of getting Michelangelo Amazed every time I was so happy to be there.

00:46:53: I think everyone who was involved the saw that I was like glowing up when we When something didn't work, it was like oh now if you need to find a solution?

00:47:02: I love that yeah and just being part giving feedback And when I realized that something is moving In some way and maybe we can change something tweak Something and I was part of dad's and with those changes someone else can profit from that It's just amazing

00:47:18: great.

00:47:18: Now i'm going to ask your question that I would find tricky if you were to ask me the question.

00:47:24: But, If You had a bionic arm That was completely waterproof Would you choose To swim with both arms?

00:47:35: Or would you decide to stay With your biological arm?

00:47:38: So... Given The fact i wasn't non-swimmer When i have two arms I only see myself swimming with one arm.

00:47:48: So I would probably try it.

00:47:50: Try to implement and find some technique, but swimming with one arm is completely different from the technique of two-arms so i will not be able to do that very fast!

00:48:08: But in a water it's also against rules That

00:48:15: would be considered as an assistive device.

00:48:18: Exactly, so you're not allowed to have anything that helps stay afloat or fast in the water?

00:48:24: So your question answers itself!

00:48:28: Very good... I think i mentioned this before but im preparing a expedition for Antarctica next year and one of reasons why i want do it is I like to counter this perception that as a disabled person, you can't do hard things.

00:48:47: You can go to the extremes now and off.

00:48:49: going to the extreme obviously but um But the other reason is to see...you mentioned de-adaptation That the future would be like a prosthetic that is even closer To The way you think the way you move etc.

00:49:02: And i think it Is when we challenge ourselves to these adventures that are out of the ordinary.

00:49:09: Yeah innovation to make sure, hey would this work in minus forty degrees?

00:49:16: Would it's working a hundred miles per hour winds.

00:49:19: Will they work at three thousand meters in altitude?

00:49:23: do you think I'm crazy though for trying that?

00:49:28: no please go ahead but take some good gear with you not only your prosthetics.

00:49:35: i think the magic doesn't happen.

00:49:40: Everything great that I was able to achieve wasn't given to me.

00:49:44: It was grown in the hard moments, in training and losing... ...and being the one not able to partake or be with others.

00:49:55: Everything great came from those moments.

00:50:00: Challenging ourselves, challenging perception, what is thought of possible challenge also like okay will it work?

00:50:08: but also How will I make it work?

00:50:10: Because you need to, um... You need to Make It Work.

00:50:13: You depend probably in extreme situation To be able to fully trust your setup.

00:50:20: So you need find a way to Make it Work and with that we become resilient We become adaptable And uh..we make things possible That others don't see possible.

00:50:30: But i also like that you want to challenge the perception of what is possible and then going to extremes.

00:50:37: And with that, I guess you will be a role model yourself besides what you already do because there's something that seems impossible and just do it!

00:50:49: From my own life i'm important at this because... The big question we always have why?

00:50:56: The first questions are, why me and Why did this happen?

00:51:00: And we will never get an answer to that question.

00:51:04: But there is another why it happens.

00:51:06: a few months or years later

00:51:09: I think you're gonna say why not?

00:51:13: no way not.

00:51:14: or What do i do with now?

00:51:17: so?

00:51:19: Why am i doing what im doing?

00:51:21: Whats the reason for it?

00:51:22: whats the big picture?

00:51:24: And I realized that when... ...I was swimming at the World Championships in London, and a young swimmer from Malaysia came to me.

00:51:34: He was impressed like wow every time you swim it's amazing!

00:51:39: We were swimming against each other on the heats.. ..and i was very flattered because i liked compliments but didn't swim really well.

00:51:51: I made it to the final, like on last place and the World Record holder was swimming with us.

00:51:56: So i didn't understand his amazement...I just asked him why are you amazed by me?

00:52:03: And he was telling that my first swimming race ever watched is the Paralympic Final in Beijing in two thousand eight years ago!

00:52:09: And when i was sixteen years old i was there for my first Paralylympics game.

00:52:12: He watched this together with his father and his father told him James do we see a guy from Austria?

00:52:20: He's sixteen years old, you are twelve-years-old.

00:52:22: His missing is left arm exactly like you and if he can do it... You Can Do It!

00:52:27: And that was the moment when James decided he wants to become a Paralympic swimmer?

00:52:31: He wants to represent his country at an international competition.. ..and he want to compete against Andrea Sonia.

00:52:37: And eleven years later he did it.

00:52:39: I beat him.

00:52:39: i was faster than him but When he told me that.... ...I instantly realized.

00:52:46: thats why.

00:52:48: That´s Why I do what I do so that on the other end of the world, someone can watch me and say if he can do it I can do.

00:52:57: And when you go to extremes others will watch you saying why am i finding excuses that I cannot start running or doing something with myself?

00:53:10: That is so crucial for society!

00:53:15: You know, what's funny though is like I only think i can do it because I watched Harry Buddha and Magda do it.

00:53:21: Exactly!

00:53:22: So why not infect ourselves with exactly this mindset?

00:53:26: And give it to everyone?

00:53:28: Because there so much potential in all of us... ...and now I'm leaving the disability realm.. ..because I am convinced that most problems we have as a society would be wiped away if you just start doing things If we started finding solutions and not finding excuses.

00:53:48: Yeah, I totally agree!

00:53:49: And i think this is a great way to end the podcast as well here.

00:53:53: thank you so much for your time Andreas.

00:53:55: it was an honor talk today.

00:53:58: Thank You

00:53:59: very much.