Izzat gets through against all odds

Proud moment: Izzat with his parents just after receiving his scroll.

KUANTAN: Wheelchair-bound Muham­mad Izzat Rosnan had initially wanted to skip his graduation ceremony from Universiti Malaysia Pahang, but changed his mind after he realised how much it would mean to his parents.

The chemical engineering graduate was injured in an accident in June, when he collided with another motorcycle which was riding on the wrong side of the road.

He fell into the path of a lorry, which crushed his left leg.

The limb had to be amputated up to the knee and he needed a wheelchair to move around.

Izzat, the third of four siblings, said his mother Saadiah Ahmad had been his source of strength, pushing him to complete his studies.

Saadiah, 53, and father, driver Rosnan Yaacob, 52, beamed with pride yesterday as they helped their son move about.

Business management graduate Manira Abd Raffar, 39, also in wheelchair, did not let an injury which caused her spinal stenosis (a condition that causes low back and leg pain) stop her from completing her part-time diploma.

She said though her parents had initially been hesitant to let her continue her studies, her course mates helped her pull through, even sending her to the lectures.

"Ultimately, we need to have the will to be strong to succeed," she said.

The duo were among 2,553 students graduating from UMP during the convocation over the weekend.