Meet the tenacious and awe-inspiring Neli Zuma
At the age of 23, an horrific car accident almost crushed the dreams of KZN model Neli Zuma. If it was not for her strength and courage, the world would never have come to know her story of resilience.
The tragic accident that had Neli fighting for her life in ICU with internal bleeding took place when her friend’s car span out of control and hit a wall. It left her with a gaping hole in her stomach. The doctors who operated on Neli said that they had no choice but to remove skin from her thigh and add it to her open wound in her stomach, to prevent her from bleeding out.
Neli still vividly remembers the day of the accident. It is still very hard for Zuma to speak of her late friend and when Stacey Norman interviewed her, the memory of her friend made things very emotional.
Nkonzo Khabela sadly passed away two days after the accident.
When Neli awoke from her surgery in ICU, she recalls the following:
I remember waking up after three weeks in ICU and when I looked down I had a colostomy bag and my stomach was covered in plastic. I used to cry and cry for days.
As she began to heal, Neli struggled with her self esteem and accepting her new body. It wasn't until she started writing down affirmations for herself months on end that Neli decided to make a change - and so the healing began. Her family and friends also played an integral part in her healing. She mustered up the confidence to set up a photoshoot with a friend of hers, showcasing her scars in all their glory.
Listen to Neli Zuma's inspiring interview with Stacey Norman below: