A 17-year-old bomb survivor and double amputee hopes her journey can inspire others to accept themselves just the way they are.
Haven Shepherd, 17, from Missouri is a Paralympic swimmer born in Do Thi Thuy Phuong in Quang Nam province, Vietnam.
In October 2004, Haven was adopted by a family from Carthage, Missouri, and moved to the U.S after surviving a terrible tragedy.
When she was 14 months old, her father detonated a suicide bomb to kill her whole family.
The force of the explosion killed both her parents instantly – but Haven survived, and was thrown more than 30 feet from the hut they lived in.
Both of Haven’s legs were amputated, and she now wears prosthetic legs.
Haven was found burned with shrapnel embedded in her head but managed to survive the ordeal.
Now, Haven hopes to use her story to inspire others and spread the message of body positivity.
According to local media reports, Haven’s father was married to someone else and had other children.
When Haven’s mother discovered this, she is reported to have threatened to leave him and he decided to end all their lives.
However, Haven’s grandparents told her a different story.
They said her parents were devastated they were unable to marry, so they decided to detonate the bomb together.
Haven’s journey towards self-love wasn’t smooth sailing and she still faces insecurities like any other teenager.
Instead, Haven chooses to focus on what she can control and maintains a positive outlook on life despite her challenges.
She said: ‘I think everyone feels insecure at times.
‘But my insecurities are like most other teenagers not because I don’t have legs. I tend to live by the motto of changing the things I can and accepting the things I can’t change.
‘I can’t change the fact that I don’t have legs. If I’m unhappy about something, I try and think “can I change it?”.’
Haven often visits schools to talk about her story and inspire the younger generation, teaching them that it is okay to be different.
She added: ‘I also show them how my legs work, talk to them about the Paralympics and let them ask me any questions they want to ask. Most kids have never known an amputee.
‘I think it really helps seeing someone like me and to teach them that people with disabilities are just regular people.’
Haven praised her mother, Shelly Shepherd, for being her rock and inspiring her to think positively no matter the circumstances.
Haven wants to set an example for other young women to be confident and love themselves – and that if she can do it, so can they.
She continued: ‘I know I’ve always made the choice to believe the best in myself and other people. I do think sometimes it’s the small choices we make every day that can help us with the big things.
‘I know I’ve been in a very accepting community especially my family, but I know that everyone doesn’t have that. I want to figure it out so I can help other girls.
‘Right now, the best tool I have is just being an example.
‘Hopefully people can look at me having no legs, adopted and an ethnic minority feeling good about myself and say if she can do it, maybe I can too.’
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