Jonathan Muthumbi’s Story Jonathan Muthubi is a 35 year old man.  At the age of 27 Jonathan was involved in a car accident that left him quadriplegic (paralyzed from the shoulders down).  Previously, he was an all-round performer plying his trade in the performing arts in theatres including Phoenix Players, acting dancing and singing.  In 1996, Jonathan was picked along with six other people from six different African countries to fly down to South Africa, and take part in a project funded by the IUCN a UN subsidiary, with interest in conservation to develop a play with a conservationist message.  The project and subsequent play got to travel the world, visiting Europe, North America and south and central Africa, with theatrical success at the Edinburgh Festival and Graham's town Festival.

At the end of the contract, Jonathan went freelance and based himself in Zimbabwe. In 1999 on the night of May 27th (coincidentally the same month and date that Christopher Reeve, an actor famous for the Superman role, had a horse riding accident, broke his neck which left him quadriplegic) after attending a farewell party, Jonathan called it a night and was given a ride home by his friend Julie. On their way home, they came upon a drunk in the middle of the road.  To avoid hitting him Julie swerved, lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a tree. Julie fortunately came out with minimal injuries and immediately called an ambulance.  Trapped in the car, the Fire Brigade had to be called to cut Jonathan out of the vehicle.  He was then rushed to the Parirenyatwa Hospital. At the tender age of 12, Jonathan, an avid swimmer, had been made aware of the meaning of paralysis by reading a book “Joni” written by Joni Tada, a lady who was involved in a diving accident at the age of 17, breaking her neck and leaving her quadriplegic. When he could not feel his legs Jonathan hoped and prayed that the worst hadn’t happened!!
 
As the days went by, he was faced with the inevitable and unpleasant truth as to the extent of his injury. Metal tongs had been drilled into his head to place him in traction for support and stability of the spine, to assist in the setting of the bone which had broken in his neck.  The prognosis was a broken neck with irreparable damage to the spinal cord. Breathing, eating and drinking with difficulty, under round-the-clock supervision. The first of six subsequent operations was carried out whose main objective was to enable Jonathan to sit upright with his head unsupported.  A few medical complications arose and only after three months was he able to begin his rehabilitation which lasted six months.

He had complete and undivided support from his mother who had flown down to Zimbabwe immediately after the accident. Enormous financial costs had been incurred putting great financial strains on his immediate and extended family. A few more operations were carried out by a philanthropic specialist (Professor Levi), whose costs he would meet, getting funds mainly from international donors. Jonathan’s mum had to return home after three months to her teaching profession, his dad having been retrenched at the early age of 48, five years earlier could not afford to fly back and forth so the decision was reached for Jonathan to complete his treatment and return once and for all. 
 
Finally Jonathan returned home.  He had to adjust to a new life in a place where he had grown as an able-bodied person.  Despite all these changes, Jonathan believed that life must go on. His director from Cape Town was auditioning once again and called on Jonathan to assist.  In the process a talented young man called Alex Kamau who was performing at Phoenix Players was selected for a new project to be presented at the Earth Summit in 2002.  They worked together to write and produce a 20 minute one-man skit with the direction of Jonathan. It was a fantastic success and Alex has since gone on to bigger things, like directing stage plays and TV and music videos, and short films.
 
Jonathan now spends a lot of time reading with a special leaning towards science fiction.  He is also working on a personal project (along with a friend who is conversant with technical drawing and in engineering) which for now he calls “top-secret” which he says will assist in the lives of many people living with disabilities.