The hearts of family members and supporters were warmed as they gazed upon Dione Green taking his first steps in Dominica with his new prosthetic legs at the ferry terminal on the Bayfront in Roseau.
Green returned to Dominica on Thursday, June 8th, 2017 to the sounds of steel pans and Africa drums after undergoing treatment and therapy in France recently to help him get accustomed to using these new set of legs.
He expressed his deepest gratitude to all supporters both in Dominica and abroad who have been with him every step of the way.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who made it here today, who made my standing up possible. Everyone who contributed in one way or another, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Special thanks to Keep Walking Association and DAPD (Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities) for all they have done and continue to do,” Green said.
At the age of 14, Green suffered first, second and third degree burns over a large portion of his body as a result of an explosion and at the age of 17, both of his legs were amputated as doctors at the Burn Center of the Shriner Hospital for Children in Boston, were unable to save his legs.
He has been an amputee for the past 16 years.
At the welcome ceremony on Thursday, tokens of appreciation were presented to the organizations that assisted Green in getting on his feet, including the Keep Walking Association.
Interesting to note is one of the challenges that Green mentioned he will face being in Dominica with his new legs is the conditions of the road.
“The roads are very bad, so walking will be a challenge,” he said.
Besides the challenges, Green has plans on doing a number of activities here in Dominica to not only help with his therapy but also to give back, particularly to disabled people.
“There are so many things that I want to do, I cannot say everything in such a little time but the main things are to help people with disabilities; maybe to create something where they (disabled people) themselves can be employed. Something new, something different, something unique,” he said.
He added that the knowledge that he had gained in France will be used to educate others on the topic of disability.
According to him, his rehabilitation process will continue here in Dominica, in fact, Green said that “every day is going to be rehab for me.”
“I will be going to the physiotherapist. A lot of the stuff I have been doing, stuff that I have learnt in France at rehab, so I will be doing a lot of rehabilitation work here as well,” he remarked.
His heart too was warmed at seeing the number of supporters that came out to welcome him back to the island and described the feeling as an “indescribable” one.
“Seeing all these people, even in Martinique, I met a few people, well wishers in Martinique…that was very touching for me. Inside I am all tears,” Green remarked.
His journey to walking again was made possible through the assistance of the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD) and other partners, in collaboration with the Keep Walking Association (KWA) a company based in France, which has been assisting in providing prosthetic limbs to a number of amputees in Dominica.
Stories like these are so reassuring of the good will that mankind is truly capable of us..Congratulations Dion and cheers to all supporters..This is pure Inspiration..!!
Doine is a super positive, ambitious young man that greatly deserves these new legs. I am blessed to know him and wish him all the greatness and strength he has earned, God bless you Dione!
What an inspiring young man. I am si happy for him. His attitude towards life is is truly a bench mark for those of us who find excuses to not keep on keeping on.
Wonderful
Congratulations sir.
Very heartening and that cake is really a masterpiece.
Congrats man. I like that this how this guy use to hustle and sell perfume by Astaphan’s when a lot of other young Dominican men with two legs waste their time at the block smoking and drinking.
Read the comments and sad to see that even here people are trying to involve politics
OMG! I am close to tears.. My heart is so happy seeing this outcome for Mr. Green after him being in a wheelchair for sooo many years.
I pray that he continues on walking with people there to support him.
God Bless D!
Enjoy your legs sir good things come to those who wait,nothing happens before its time. Best of good luck.
I’m very happy for you Dione! God Bless and all the best in your endeavors!!
Good show !
Gotta admit, that young man is dedicated
I used to see the young man on wheelchair up and about in Roseau, and I just admired him for his determination. Disabilities should not keep a young person down, and he has proven just that. God bless son, and continue to encourage yourself. Your determination is a blessing. I also hope that in DA some of us will have a different approach to the disabled, and also those who have autism.
This is great!!! Good Luck and lots of blessings.
happy for you MR Green this is a new beginning for you may yahweh bless you abundantly as you start a new life with your great legs keep trushing in him
fix your face de woman in de backround
Jalouzie much!
Is that the story? Nothing wrong with no woman face fool!
I am so pleased to see the blessings received by Mr. Green. I would see him so resilient and full of hope even on his wheetchair. I am happy for him and wish him success in rehab and in all his future endeavors.
We need to join him in pouring out gratitude to every single person and organization that assisted him. It is a guide to all of us as citizens to reach out where and when we can. Blessings to them.
A feel good story, one of great elation. May you make huge strides in your progress to be mobile and agile.
STAND UP!! Yes i Dione. All good things come to those who wait. you never gave up on yourself. that in itself was your hardest battle. and you won. Congratulations Sir.
Congratulations to Mr. Green. I pray that God continue to bless him.
Congratulations Dion. Praise the Lord! All is not lost. You can be what God intend for you to be. Forward you go and encourage other disabled and amputees.
Congrats my son and welcome back home ,the people of Dominica has been promise a better Roseau a new rehab Roseau with side walk for the disable a show piece that will be the envy of the other Caribbean , but the opposite is true a architect was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to design a new Roseau during the election and until now nothin has happen vehicles park on the little side walk space that is available the police walk around with there little book they see those vehicles park illegally and yet they don’t ticket them because they belongs to Lawyers doctors and politicians so they are scared to write then a citation I saw tourist struggling by jolly in a wheel chair to get around the side walks we have in D.A. so I ask the question to skerro where are the side walk you promise us ?. enough of your lying deliver the goods.
You must be a da*n goat to make a comment like that under this article. Where that coming in??!! Can’t you just give well wishes and move on like everybody else?? There’s a time and place for everything and right now is not the time for your dirty politics. Bon!
You find this was the best comment to post in a time like this. Congrats young man the sky is the limit.
You know what is more disturbing? Our people give a thumbs up to this trash comment. Why would you bring politics into this
Alas alas. All yuh dirty crates need prayers. Just looking for all opportunities to bring in politics and an obsession with one man. Mal fay yah. Get a life and get a heart. Nasty goat.
Congrats Dionne. Enjoy the walks instead of confined sitting.
God can still grow back those legs he is miracle working God.God bless you
Really????? And you have seen this done? Please elaborate. SMH
SMH
Truly a heart warming story. Best of luck to you Mr. Green.
Proud to see you back up my brother.
Where there is a will there is a way..
Happy for the young man’s progress and ability to once again reassert his independence and move around on his own accord.