Just a month before her program had begun, Milica Knezevic, an exchange student from Serbia received a message from the university of her home town stating that she had been enlisted for a scholarship. It was a lucky day for the computer science major, as she was offered a chance to study in Wright State for a semester-long program.
Knezevic, an avid coder, has a passion for traveling around the world to experience the beauties of life. She had lost her ability to walk at 16 due to a terrible accident.
“First I was lost, and I kept asking the question, why did it happen to me? So I was angry, mad, frustrated, indignant and furious. I didn’t know what to do with my life. The doctors told me that I just had one percent chance to ever walk. My friends and family were there to help and push me. But what really kept me going was this: I realized that life is beautiful and there is so many things in the world that I need to experience. So just because I am in a wheelchair it doesn’t mean that I cannot be as happy as others. You shouldn’t let struggles dictate the way you live life,” Knezevic shared.
According to Knezevic, Wright State is more accessible and provides a platform for everyone.
"It doesn’t matter if you are abled or disabled, you get equal opportunities to build your career,” Knezevic said.
Injury has not deterred Knezevic from living the life of her dreams. Only after going through such an ordeal did she come to terms with life, the trauma made her even stronger.
“Accepting my life as it changed and recovering from the injury was the most fulfilling experience because I had to start with a clean slate," she said. "It’s not as easy as it sounds, I struggled a lot. But whenever I fell, my friends and family were there to pick me up, and now when I look back on my voyage I can only say that it has been a golden trip.”
Knezevic has a blog and has been training herself to compete in the European championship and eventually at the Paralympics. However, her focus is to play for a volleyball team like she used to before the injury, but only this time at the Euros ’18.
“Opening a rehabilitation center for the disabled students and the common people would be my life’s work, apart from that I work for a public speaking organization that counsels students and raises awareness about drinking and driving. Through my experience I share with the students the value of their lives and how everything could flip in just a matter of seconds because of one careless decision. Also, I will continue to pursue my interests in computer engineering and will try to reach heights in the sports I hold dear.”
