Today we’d like to introduce you to Samoana Matagi.
Samoana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
At 34 years of age, I was involved in a work accident while working on powerlines. I received fourth-degree burns on my hands due to 14,400 volts of electricity burning them. One week later my hands were amputated. I spent one month recovering from the burns and the skin transplants. At that time I was transferred to Utah to be near my family while I did rehab. Rehab involved some physical therapy and a lot of occupational therapy. I needed to find out how to use new prosthetic arms but after searching the internet, there were no free resources. There was one man selling a DVD on how he used his prosthetic hooks. I felt hopeless.
I vowed during that time to create a YouTube channel that would teach how to use prosthetic hooks. I felt like I was the Robin Hood of prosthetics, taking knowledge and sharing it for free. I came up with a name that described what I would do and somewhat rhymed; The No-Handed Bandit. I have created over 100 episodes for free. I’ve been asked to speak about the resilience it took across the country and in Canada!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Many of my struggles have arisen from the speed at which I do things and the financial battle of providing a service at no cost. Editing videos is complicated without hands.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m known as a video creator and through that, I’ve gained experience as a motivational speaker. I am one of the first creators and because of my work, many of my peers realized they could also put out content.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to me is to provide a ray of hope for those that find themselves in the situation of adjusting to a life without hands!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nohandedbandit.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/no_handed_bandit/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNoHandedBandit/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoHandedBandit
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thenohandedbandit
