Press "Enter" to skip to content

Changing perspectives – my path to self-determination | Stefan Utz | TEDxMannheim


[Applause]
Wow I stand
In front of you on the stage, I’m unbelievable
I do not mean how great it is for me
that is a little insight
to give my life what I can
want to tell them is li 6 stages for
be a real challenge
can
I think they should necessarily of it
experienced because that’s always mine
live busy as you can see
I sit in the electric wheelchair this
Chair is 140 kilos in front of the stage
six stages the question was how come I am
Over these six stages on the stage
tried several ramps
lift platforms stairs caterpillars everything has
it really does not work
not absurd we have the
organizer and is finding a solution
can
We live here in Germany and me
fail at six stages as pitiful
and how am I now on the stage
come
ask yourself now I have mine
Bodyguards urged me to wear high
to let and that is exactly mine too
subject what is bothering me i can do it
I do not accept because I’m in a wheelchair
sit and can not move freely
and always have to think about it
how to get there
That’s why I am committed to
accessibility a
But I’m allowed to join them first
imagine
my name is stefan us what do you see
you see a man that is unique
I did not grow up very big
have a voice of one too
robots come to it
I keep hearing that from children
my body is not perfect in the
on the contrary my bones are deformed
and the proportions are not right
agreement
I’m sitting in the wheelchair which is very clear
is visible
this wheelchair I always need I
Osteogenesis imperfecta is better
it is known as vitreous bone I am in
a small village with 210 in francs
grew up and still have three
brothers and sisters
my two brothers have glass too
my sister but not how can that be
be that three brothers glass tomorrow
just do not have to my sister
My parents are a gene defect for it
responsible they had as well as that
aec or else luck would be for her otherwise
I do not stand right up here
same ones go to carry the sec in oneself
the probability that your own
children’s glass bones got insisted
25 percent
regardless of gender I am myself
reported for it
my brothers meanwhile have theirs
own family speak they have children
which i might be interested in
children do not sit in the wheelchair and
can run
why did the children of my brothers
no glass make the inheritance with us
is not dominant but recessive
Say it is good that we have three brothers
and not just set in this case
to have
that’s what it takes
the partnerin on exactly this
same effect has
but this probability is
under one percent I know that since we
to have a genetic counseling
leave and now we have certainty about
my parents do not always have it
easy
Actually, this was not the reason for
the difficulties that came up
but rather the village community and
the and the environment have as parents with
three disabled sons in a very
There was a Catholic village back then
a difficult stand
you have to listen to that before
the father had to be around and
our parents were punished for it
I can not help myself for the sake of it
introduce my parents to the
devil had to do
you have born four wonderful children
they might be a little bit like that
overwhelmed with us three brothers but
also because they are little
have received support from the outside
we brothers but also my sister
Of course, they feel that too
get room contacts to the
Village children had except for a few
Views of the neighbors when you with the
three wheels were driven through the village
received little attention and recognition
is I think in our society
you only accept it when you have something
achieves and a certain standard
corresponds to
we do not have in their little cosmos
We did not like it since we changed
were
now it is different when we leave the
big city munich
our parents visit the neighbors
always want to know something from us though
we with the rollis in the village our rounds
rotate
they are somehow impressed like us
master our lives
although not much of our lives
Sometimes he always comes to know
still ahead and ask if we have holidays now
and therefore visit our parents
I live in Munich since 1986
a very central to the apartment
downtown how do I live and what does
my life i have my family
my friends and my assistant my
Assistant meanwhile you are employed at
to support me in everyday life
my two brothers have it too
Munich
but who of us has his own life
maybe they wonder how they are
the three brothers landed in munich
for a simple reason then than us
children were and our parents us
There was no need to bring the school
Schools have taken us since we
do differently what do I mean differently
we could not go and have each other
that’s why on three wheels that moves
I loved the three wheels
besides, there was something motor here
restricted and, of course, say here
different from children like for example
that our limbs were deformed
we do not see each other on the three wheels
we have moved out of the
the bottom of the pants
why did we slip?
we had to be inventive
the physiotherapists always have us
running again forced to run
looked like this by taking ten meters with us
plaster seemed to have moved us that
was so pointless that was a lot
faster with the three wheels and with
the wheelchair on the way
in the end, our parents had us
in a body interfere with internat
An affiliated school will bring you there
There are no gay companies
from the have taken us this
boarding school was 50 kilometers from home
away
the internat had strict rules like
for example, that we are only every 14
days over the weekend were allowed home
the philosophy was behind it
to wean from home
that was really the approach here am
I look at it again
to lead
There was a girl and a boy internat
phone calls with the parents were
set and strictly controlled and
regulated
after the internatsleben and the
Hauptschule wanted the three necessarily
attend a secondary school
an uncle of mine had a school
in munich, which is valid for
Of course we were happy
I also had in school
physical education the sports teacher knew
not so happy what you are with us
wheelchair users in the classroom
should
At some point we will have a few
Tennis rackets and balls from the
equipment room and got us the
pans and ever played that was the
beginning of my great passion
cherokee
[Music]
you can see the film could sit
all athletes in power wheelchair it
will be five against five
played in a gym it goes
rapidly and everyone is highly motivated
because it’s just about us
Winning over 30 years ago
we in Munich the sport he mourns okay
founded in Germany and
evolves as many as possible
We are experienced in the sports
schools and boarding schools throughout
Germany toured
after a few years we have
researched that also in the
Dutch hockey is played in
Munich will have the first one in 1987
international poker tournament
now there are 18 organized
clubs in germany and a league with
three classes today is the proud one
Result
In Europe, sport will be in eleven countries
played in addition to the countries of the United States
Canada Australia Taiwan and South Africa
since 2004, European championships
and world championships played out
apropos world championships
by the way, they see one here
World Champion
the biggest thing I do in our sport
was reached as an active athlete
in this finale at the
World Cup 2010 here
here we have against the we have
to score a golden goal against the
Netherlands with seven to six goals
won
this title I wear always say to’m
very proud of my further successes
squat in power are twelve-time German
Master with my team in june in
emails from munich several national and
achieved international tournament success
during my active player career
I have twelve years as chairman to
our sport for the german
Wheelchair sports association worked
My highlight was as a sports manager
world championships in the Paralympic
according to paralympic specifications in power
cherokee 2000 translated to in Germany
organize
the international band very much
Wheelchair sports gave me the
project management
but that was not enough for me
wanted in front of own audience in munich
play in the world famous Olympic Park in
eissportstadion I succeeded
that was a unique feeling for full
positive tension and joy
a dream came true before 1500 spectators
to be able to play
that was a great feeling the fans us
have cheered
I’m still burning and I’m going in
September
This year was with my manners
World Cup in Italy as an active
players participate
the sport is to me as much at heart
I experienced what he did for that
personal life can do anything
I was looking for the challenge
although I glass
one has many think there can be something
bad things happen and if you are with
her extremely fast and agile
sports wheelchairs collapsed yes there
drank what happened
Of course I have the chicks too
broken at the sport but you know what
I have the most breaks in everyday life
and of it
I will not have any more at some point
it was certainly 60 counted
fractures
by the way, we are constantly looking for sponsors
so our sports farmer the ok next to the
There are of course many more sports
other things that haunt me like me
I had to mention at the beginning
we always hinder us with annoying
to annoy
That’s why I have the task
personally made for more
to demand accessibility in life
what accessibility means for me
that is relatively simple I want with
my wheelchair where they come
We can also move
for example, the arrival today after
Mannheim
I came with the train a place
in train for a wheelchair user needs
Many many days are pre-booked in the
There are trains with a maximum of four places
Likewise, the entry aid must be in advance
reserved
a fog he brings me to the train
Of course, a hotel has to be
be accessible
a capacity of a hotel with 500
Rooms are just like that
wheelchair accessible room
That can not be when I will be later
I want to eat in a restaurant
Check in beforehand if I am
get in already a level range the way
block
The toilets are mostly in the
restaurant often for wheelchair users not
to reach
there it goes to improvise
or to have a well-trained bladder
maybe they will be for me then
later a tip where I still go
Could but be sure it needs it
be barrier-free
I have myself, I have myself
the task made direct help
offer
I work for a club
social aid celts based in berlin
as an ambassador for accessibility
responsible for Munich
I offer the owners of cafes
restaurants shops buildings quite
practically different sizes of ramps
with d’isere ramps can be one or
several stages are overcome
I also work at the Münchner
volkshochschule as a lecturer I offer
courses for affected people to the im
but wheelchair sit too and that is
almost more important for pedestrians like
I operate the wheelchair right which
possibilities are provided by the city for
people with disabilities are offered
all these points
I try with my participants
discuss solution proposals
explain
for me, self-determination is in
my life is very important what does mine
live out i am curious and open
for what may come I like being
Together with people go to the cinema
exhibitions cafés drive with my
car used in the holidays
means of transport
I still have the desire one
happy relationship to a woman too
lead and and and what do you do life
I think
if you break it down, have ours
live many similarities
but you should also know about me
that I’m not really at the lake
or move my life just because I’m in
Wheelchair seats I do not think about it
after I’m in a wheelchair as well
Do not think about it too
foot are on the way
Thank you for your patience
[Applause]
Please follow and like us: