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Dubai: Zainab Al Eqabi, an Iraqi expat in the UAE, who lost her left leg after a bomb blast back home at the age of six, is well known as a para-athlete, social media star and a pharmacist-turned-first amputee TV presenter in the Arab world. But her most extraordinary achievements lie beyond her public persona. Zainab has embraced a life of exploration, from mastering deep diving and car drifting to embarking on solo road trips across stunning landscapes, exploring new cultures and spreading positivity about People of Determination (PoD).
It was on June 10, 1997 that Zainab’s life took a drastic turn. A bomb component left undetonated from the First Gulf War exploded while she was repairing her bicycle with her father and sister. “The friction caused the object to explode, costing my father his left hand and severely injuring us both,” Zainab recalled in an interview with Gulf News.
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While her younger sister was injured along with her, Zainab’s life changed forever after the amputation of her leg above the knee following an infection.
The road to recovery was long and difficult. “It affected our entire family. It took us months and years to recover and adjust. Even when a path seems over, it never truly is. Those who suffer continue to face complications throughout their lives, not just at the moment of the accident. ”
From challenges to strength
Growing up in Iraq and later moving to the UAE, Zainab said she was shielded from some societal challenges until she entered college. “Honestly, I never realised how tough society could be until I joined college. As a teenager, I lived a pretty insular life. But college exposed me to societal harshness, especially when it came to perceptions of my abilities...