
‘The Girl With Wings’: Dejana Backo, A Woman Born Without Arms, Proves That No Challenge Is Impossible
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People have an incredible ability to achieve anything they set their minds to, and Dejana Backo is living proof of that.
From the moment of Dejana’s birth, it was discovered that she had a rare birth defect called Phocomelia syndrome. It is characterized by severe malformation of the extremities, which led to her arms being severely shortened. Even though Dejana had to face obstacles since her very birth, that didn’t stop her from living her life to the fullest.
While Dejana is only 30 years old, by now, she has become a talented artist, ParaTaekwondo world champion, fitness coach, and super mom, proving that no challenge is impossible when met with determination.
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Meet Dejana Backo, an accomplished athlete, an artist, and a mom who was born without arms
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Though as a child, Dejana was baffled by being born with a disability, soon, she realized that it did not define or limit her ability to lead a fulfilling life
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
At the age of 9 years, Backo joined the Society of Mouth and Foot Painters, which was her first step towards becoming a successful artist
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Dejana always had a passion for art, but she also led a very active lifestyle and became very interested in sports
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Backo took up Para taekwondo and Para archery. Now Dejana is a renowned Serbian athlete, who won the Para-Taekwondo World Champion in 2019, in Turkey
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
In Serbia, Dejana is also known as ‘the girl with wings’ after she appeared on a national TV show
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Dejana is deeply in love with her partner Marko who is a fitness instructor. Together they enjoy exploring new places and sharing their adventures on social media
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Dejana was planning on participating in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games; however, recently she and her partner Marko had a baby
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Due to giving birth to their beautiful baby girl Lara, Dejana had to postpone her sports career
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Despite that, Dejana is still very active on social media and she continues to use her platform to raise awareness and inspire others
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
Image credits: devojka_sa_krilima
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absolutely very impressed by this strong woman, but NO, not everyone can do the impossible. Some people cant even get out of bed in the morning while their body is "complete" and their mind is not. Not everyone is the same, NOT everyone is capable of the same.
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This is the equivalent of coming to the post about food/cooking and write "But children in Africa are starving!".
No it's more about saying "remember people aren't a failure. If they don't reach this level of life" the lady is awesomeness, but some people weaponise feel-good story's "see! This lady has no arms and she has a 6-oack AND a baby AND is an artist AND is a para athlete! Look at you, you are fine and you can't even get a job interview...."
How people react to their own disabilities varies enormously. There can multiple factors: upbringing, access to accommodations, when their limitation was acquired, their own personalities, etc. This woman is obviously a high achiever and probably would be regardless of whether or not she had a disability. Someone else might be shy or sheltered or having difficulty adjusting to an acquired limitation.
My view: admire anyone who goes far, but don't use them as examples to someone who just wants to learn to navigate everyday life.
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So what you're saying is, there should be no posts about people like Dejana because someone might misuse it? Is there a single word in this entire post that made you feel inadequate in any way? If not, why such bitter reaction to it?
I think Petra is right, tbh. This woman is absolutely incredible but looking at her and suggesting everyone can do it is more akin to looking one person who grew up in poverty but became rich and saying because they could, everyone else can too. Sharing inspirational stories like this is great and I imagine it can provide a great source of hope to some people but I also think it's legitimate to point out the reality for many others.
Yeah, I agree
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Where on earth have you read that everyone can/should do it? Show me, please. Because I sure haven't read it anywhere. And if it is legitimate to point out reality for many others, wherever the hell we please apparently, why am I being downvoted for pointing out starving children?
“ People have an incredible ability to achieve anything they set their minds to, and Dejana Backo is living proof of that.” — “While Dejana is only 30 years old, by now, she has become a talented artist, ParaTaekwondo world champion, fitness coach, and super mom, proving that no challenge is impossible when met with determination.“ — maybe they are referring to those quotes? Those could seem to imply that “anyone can do anything if they’re just determined enough!!”
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I'm sorry, I've never been PC, never will be. So, you (not you specifically) can't do something? Well then, JUST F'ING DON'T, OK? But for godssake please do not shìt on people who DO. What is the point of pointing out that not everybody can do what Dejana did? Feeling better about yourselves? I just can't understand the mindset which sees a post like this and its first reaction is "bUt nO NoT eVery1 caN dO it".
Also, since the title literally reads '[she] proves that we all can achieve the impossible' then of course someone will point out that's not actually true. Finally, it's interesting that you asked someone to point out where it's saying we should all do it, so Lakota did, and you ignored that to instead declare: 'if you can't do something, then effing don't.' I can't think of a single instance where saying that to someone would not be rude/insensitive; it's also going against what the post says.
No one is s******g on her or how awesome she is. They just have a problem with the 'if you're determined enough, you can do anything,' because the corollary is: if you don't succeed, you just didn't try hard enough, want it enough, or deserve it enough. That's the issue. It's possible to do your best, work harder than anyone, and still fail. This lady's story is inspirational, but the article is trying to extrapolate her unique story/circumstances into some sort of moral lesson/judgement, thereby taking away from both her uniqueness and the inspiration.
@Mila Put yourself in the mind of someone that struggles out of bed, that considers themself a failure and is hanging on by a thread. A post like this might help but it might also reinforce that person's perception that they cannot succeed, despite trying their hardest. Just like this post might be exactly what somebody needs to read, somebody else might need to understand that not everyone can do everything - and that's also perfectly fine.
I see where you are coming from..because this lady deserves to be celebrated and admired .I have an illness, and there are certain things I will never achieve. However, someone woth the samr illness might achieve those things and I would be the first to celebrate them.My jot being able to do it wouldn't take away from their being able to do it,because it's OK I can't do those things.I love my life and hell if someone can do what she's done she deserves every bit of praise without the but if you can't do it it's OK comments.
what a smile :)
I have a 9yo taekwondo fighter hanging around in my house, she was astonished when I showed her this post. 😁
Now that is courage. All the best, Dejana.
absolutely very impressed by this strong woman, but NO, not everyone can do the impossible. Some people cant even get out of bed in the morning while their body is "complete" and their mind is not. Not everyone is the same, NOT everyone is capable of the same.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
This is the equivalent of coming to the post about food/cooking and write "But children in Africa are starving!".
No it's more about saying "remember people aren't a failure. If they don't reach this level of life" the lady is awesomeness, but some people weaponise feel-good story's "see! This lady has no arms and she has a 6-oack AND a baby AND is an artist AND is a para athlete! Look at you, you are fine and you can't even get a job interview...."
How people react to their own disabilities varies enormously. There can multiple factors: upbringing, access to accommodations, when their limitation was acquired, their own personalities, etc. This woman is obviously a high achiever and probably would be regardless of whether or not she had a disability. Someone else might be shy or sheltered or having difficulty adjusting to an acquired limitation.
My view: admire anyone who goes far, but don't use them as examples to someone who just wants to learn to navigate everyday life.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
So what you're saying is, there should be no posts about people like Dejana because someone might misuse it? Is there a single word in this entire post that made you feel inadequate in any way? If not, why such bitter reaction to it?
I think Petra is right, tbh. This woman is absolutely incredible but looking at her and suggesting everyone can do it is more akin to looking one person who grew up in poverty but became rich and saying because they could, everyone else can too. Sharing inspirational stories like this is great and I imagine it can provide a great source of hope to some people but I also think it's legitimate to point out the reality for many others.
Yeah, I agree
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Where on earth have you read that everyone can/should do it? Show me, please. Because I sure haven't read it anywhere. And if it is legitimate to point out reality for many others, wherever the hell we please apparently, why am I being downvoted for pointing out starving children?
“ People have an incredible ability to achieve anything they set their minds to, and Dejana Backo is living proof of that.” — “While Dejana is only 30 years old, by now, she has become a talented artist, ParaTaekwondo world champion, fitness coach, and super mom, proving that no challenge is impossible when met with determination.“ — maybe they are referring to those quotes? Those could seem to imply that “anyone can do anything if they’re just determined enough!!”
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I'm sorry, I've never been PC, never will be. So, you (not you specifically) can't do something? Well then, JUST F'ING DON'T, OK? But for godssake please do not shìt on people who DO. What is the point of pointing out that not everybody can do what Dejana did? Feeling better about yourselves? I just can't understand the mindset which sees a post like this and its first reaction is "bUt nO NoT eVery1 caN dO it".
Also, since the title literally reads '[she] proves that we all can achieve the impossible' then of course someone will point out that's not actually true. Finally, it's interesting that you asked someone to point out where it's saying we should all do it, so Lakota did, and you ignored that to instead declare: 'if you can't do something, then effing don't.' I can't think of a single instance where saying that to someone would not be rude/insensitive; it's also going against what the post says.
No one is s******g on her or how awesome she is. They just have a problem with the 'if you're determined enough, you can do anything,' because the corollary is: if you don't succeed, you just didn't try hard enough, want it enough, or deserve it enough. That's the issue. It's possible to do your best, work harder than anyone, and still fail. This lady's story is inspirational, but the article is trying to extrapolate her unique story/circumstances into some sort of moral lesson/judgement, thereby taking away from both her uniqueness and the inspiration.
@Mila Put yourself in the mind of someone that struggles out of bed, that considers themself a failure and is hanging on by a thread. A post like this might help but it might also reinforce that person's perception that they cannot succeed, despite trying their hardest. Just like this post might be exactly what somebody needs to read, somebody else might need to understand that not everyone can do everything - and that's also perfectly fine.
I see where you are coming from..because this lady deserves to be celebrated and admired .I have an illness, and there are certain things I will never achieve. However, someone woth the samr illness might achieve those things and I would be the first to celebrate them.My jot being able to do it wouldn't take away from their being able to do it,because it's OK I can't do those things.I love my life and hell if someone can do what she's done she deserves every bit of praise without the but if you can't do it it's OK comments.
what a smile :)
I have a 9yo taekwondo fighter hanging around in my house, she was astonished when I showed her this post. 😁
Now that is courage. All the best, Dejana.