Marc van de Kuilen; from war tragedy to Paralympic dream. In 2008, Marc suffered serious and permanent injuries during a mission in Afghanistan. Due to so called friendly fire, meaning fire from his own troops, Marc and two of his colleagues were hit. Unlike his colleagues, Marc survived the incident. Marc was so badly injured that both of his legs had to be amputated. His enormous resilience and positive energy resulted in participation in the Paralympic Games in 2016.
Paralympic Games
During his long rehabilitation period, Marc realised that his life would look completely different. Partly because of his inexhaustible positive energy and resilience, a new dream emerged. He wanted to participate in the Paralympic Games with the men’s wheelchair basketball team. In the summer of 2016, he achieved this goal by qualifying with the Netherlands for the first time in 12 years and participating in the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Book
On 12 January 2018, exactly 10 years after his accident, Marc’s book Lucky Shot was launched. Lucky Shot dissects that dramatic night and what followed through the eyes of different people, including the shooter and his colleague who dragged him out of the line of fire. A bizarre story, full of strength and positive energy.
Marc as a Speaker
Today, Marc shares his extraordinary life story in an inspiring way. He speaks about various topics such as dealing with setbacks, his unique experiences and knowledge in the field of teamwork, and his vision on vitality and happiness. The way he approaches life is an example to many.
