I was born in Egypt and moved to the U.S. when I was five years old. Spending most of my youth in New Jersey, I moved to Toronto with my family at 17. A stint in Australia for a couple of years, Toronto is my home.

I lost my left leg above the knee in a single vehicle accident in late August 2021. Travelling home at night from my gym in Oakville, my motorcycle hit debris on the road. It was a highway off-ramp that I had navigated hundreds of times.

I tried to straighten out and I came head-on into the median. I was thrown from the bike and remember many people around me as I lay on the road. I was awake and bystanders were telling me not to look down. I knew something was wrong with my leg.

My body was just on fire. My leg was acidic. Like, it was so hot — it’s indescribable. And my whole rest of my body was tingling with this sensation that I’ve never felt before.

I remembered the paramedics coming and I pleaded with them: “Just please save my leg.”

When my sister came to the hospital, I could see on her face that it was bad. When she cries, it’s bad. And so she cried a lot.”

I was sent to St. John’s Rehab in Sunnybrook Hospital and on a floor of amputees, the reality sunk in. I don’t know how I survived my emotional mind because it was really dark and depressing. I kept thinking about how my life had changed in minutes and how it could have been different.

You drive yourself crazy thinking, if I didn’t go to the gym today, if I ran out of gas, if I took a different route, if the car didn’t want to get off the exit, if I even was a five kilometres difference in speed, whether it be lower or higher, I wouldn’t be next to him. There are just so many variables and factors that you play in your mind.

I had a lot of trouble believing that this happened to me. I didn’t know much about the circumstances of the accident at the time except that I caused this myself. It was all on me. My motorcycle and my leg were gone. I find it hard to forgive myself.

That’s what life is; life is different for everyone. I’ve found that it’s okay to struggle as much as I need to right now. As long as it’s not consuming me. I am owning it and it’s very personal. But it’s just one part in a long life to come. The physical and mental changes are hard and scary, but I know I’m not alone. I’m just unique.

Once I got home, there were more challenges, and the realization that my life had changed. I was a very independent person, a fitness fanatic, I enjoyed running and travelling solo but now the stairs in my home were a frightening obstacle.

But slowly, I have been able to regain my life. I pushed myself hard to compete in fitness competitions. I needed something to get my sanity back, I needed a goal. I made it to nationals and did three back-to-back competitions.

I successfully completed the CN Tower Climb in April 2022 — 44 floors and 1,776 steps and hopes to raise funds for amputee mental health awareness for children and families through a GoFundMe.

A HUGE part of my recovery came through freelance writing for THRIVE (Canadian Limb Loss Magazine) and getting back on a motorcycle through Energy Powersports as a Brand Ambassador. They both have served as pillars of community and overcoming obstacles in my journey.

I am grateful for so many different perspectives and outlooks that others have shared with me that have been so helpful. I didn't just survive, I became bionic.