THOMASVILLE — A Thomasville native recalled a time when doctors warned her that her disability would change her life forever.

Twenty-six years later, Suleima Jacob is proud to say that it did but in the best ways possible.

After her family immigrated from Mexico in the 1980s and settled in Thomasville, she became accustomed to her new life with her four sisters.

A month before her 12th birthday, Jacob was involved in a car accident with two of her sisters that left her paralyzed from the waist down.

Even though her spinal cord was severed and not completely broken, the damage was significant enough to affect her mobility.

A lot of doctors told her she may never walk again.

For rehabilitation Jacob relocated to Atlanta and was forced to become home-schooled.

“I was there for months and a lot of the time when I was trying to readjust to the way I was going to have to do things, I had to relearn because I was now in a wheelchair,” she said.

Despite the dramatic change, Jacob’s first glimpse of success came six years later when she graduated third in her class.

With the help of a body brace, she walked across the stage to deliver a speech that she said motivated her classmates.

“I took the opportunity to walk with my braces to try to inspire my classmates that through hard work and dedication you can accomplish it and succeed,” she said.

Jacob then looked to the next phase of her life. 

Through the aid of scholarships, she pursued an undergraduate degree at Berry College.

Initially wanting to study veterinary medicine, Jacob later changed her major to neuroscience once she realized the importance of science behind her disability.

“I became really interested in the neuroscience research and a lot of it was sort of based off my injury, because I was fascinated about how injury to such a delicate system can cause so many effects to an organism,” she said.

Jacob participated in a few research internships before having the opportunity to work on two major projects.

After completing her undergraduate degree, she received an academic of excellence scholarship, which was used to continue her studies at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the neuroscience program.

She completed her masters after two years and still wanted to continue her research in the doctoral program position at McGill University.

Through all her hard work and resilience, Jacob was awarded the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship on July 15.

The scholarship is worth $50,000 for three years of study and research.

Jacob said earning the scholarship meant a lot to her especially with her being an international student.

“I’m very proud of being a Latina and being able to have such a prestigious award and knowing that the struggles that my parents overcame paid off,” she said.

She also said her disability only fueled her to accomplish her goals throughout her life.

“I feel that my injury helped drive me more to achieve so much. I was able to make it into something,” she said. “I worked really hard to make the best out of the situation. I didn’t let my injury inhibit me from achieving success.”

Further down the road, Jacob plans to finish her PhD and pursue a post-doctoral study to continue her research.

“I’m hoping that with my knowledge I can continue to bridge that gap between technology and science to help improve on what we already have so that we can bring about changes and help bring awareness in terms of the individuals with disabilities in science which is something else I’m passionate about.”

She hopes that her story inspires others that anything is possible, no matter the challenges.

“No matter how difficult things may seem you are capable of succeeding and overcoming those barriers,” she said. “I think that you can overcome anything you put your mind to if you have that passion and determination.”