Positive spirit helps ex-sailor beat disability

Cho Ik-rae

He was 37 when he was hit by a car. When he recovered consciousness, he was lying in a hospital, paralyzed from the chest down.
He was no longer a sailor who cruised the blue seas in an ocean-going ship.
Yet despite the hardship, Cho Ik-rae, 56, is now the head of Gomduri Rental Car and has 12 employees.
All of the people working for him have disabilities.
Last week, he received a presidential award recognizing how he overcame his obstacles.
“I thought I was the most miserable person in the whole world,” Cho said.
Cho spent most of his time drinking. He was a father of three, but he lost interest in his family.
Two years passed. Then one day, Cho participated in a picnic for people with disabilities sponsored by the city of Busan. He seeing other said people like him was shocking.
“I saw some people in much worse condition than me, but they were very enthusiastic to get involved,” he said. “I thought I could probably do anything if I gave it a try.”
The first job Cho attempted to take was taxi driving. But people with disabilities were not allowed to get a taxi driver’s license.
He started a petition and got over a million people to sign. In 1994, the law was changed. Another of his achievements was working for an insurance company.
He won the “best employee” award for three straight years while in that job.

By Kim Eun-ha JoongAng Ilbo [mina@joongang.co.kr]