Carlos was only 2 years old when he was getting off the bus on his mother's lap. She worked as a cleaning lady and had no choice but to take her children with her since she couldn't leave them at home. In a moment of negligence, the bus driver closed the door on them, trapping them both. Amid the screams of the passengers, he eventually opened the doors, but they ended up on the sidewalk. As a result, Carlos hit the curb and fractured his spine, losing the use of his legs. This marked the beginning of his journey with a crooked spine.
On top of all that, being new to the city and uninformed, Carlos's mother didn't have him vaccinated against Polio, and he contracted polio. These are life's events that we can't explain, only accept, and then fight to move forward. With the accident and polio, Carlos experienced muscle atrophy on the entire right side of his body, causing his spine to bend significantly, resulting in severe scoliosis. After several surgeries and numerous physiotherapy sessions, he managed to regain some mobility. Despite being in a wheelchair, he became an independent man.
Carlos, who is a graduate of Physical Education, now works with students in indoor, field, and beach soccer. He's involved in a project aimed at underprivileged children who dream of becoming professional soccer players. The name of the school is 'Futuros Herdeiros FC' (Future Heirs FC).
Carlos still has scoliosis, but he's much better than before. When he experiences pain, he wears the black brace shown in the photo.
We might think that only girls have a curved spine, but boys can also suffer from it. Carlos's story teaches us that we are much more than our physical conditions, right?
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