A Mother’s Love: Overcoming a Disability and Believing in Yourself

Born disabled with a severely deformed right leg in the impoverished African nation of Ghana, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah began life as an outcast, shunned by most of society and abandoned by his own father. Against all odds, Emmanuel not only changed society’s perception of himself, but of all disabled children and adults in his country and throughout the world due in part to the driving force in his life-his mother’s love. Known to Emmanuel as Mama Comfort, Emmanuel’s mother gave him the love and tools he needed to believe in himself, as well as the fortitude to create social and political change for disabled citizens throughout Ghana. Refusing to be labeled or limited by his disability, Emmanuel completed a 400-mile bike ride across Ghana to raise awareness of the plight of disabled individuals in his home country. Emmanuel’s efforts did not go unnoticed, and he was later awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage by Oprah Winfrey at ESPN’s 2005 ESPY Awards. This led President Kufour of Ghana to bring the Disability Bill to the floor of Ghana’s Parliament. Six months later, the bill passed-guaranteeing equal rights for disabled persons in Ghana in education, public access, and employment, and changing lives in that country and attitudes around the world. A Mother’s Love is a heartwarming story of unwavering love and support of a mother and the unlocked potential found in her son, despite his perceived limitations. A Mother’s Love will serve as a reminder to adults and children alike that obstacles in the path of life are not an excuse to judge nor a reason to surrender, but merely a challenge to overcome. A Mother’s Love is part of Reflections Publishing’s Kids Helping Kids Through Books series and is written by child author, Anthony Mazza, in collaboration with Emmanuel.