B.P.T, M.Ed. Moran Samuel

I grew up in a small town  in the north part of Israel (Karmiel). I played professional basketball and was part of the youth national team.  At the age of 24 while still being a basketball player and a coach, and also a physical therapy student, I woke up one morning and after two hours was completely paralyzed from the chest down. Later the doctors found out I suffered a spinal stroke. I spent a few month in the hospital, and had to find the strength to learn how to leave life with a physical disability. I got back to Haifa University and graduated in 2009 as a pediatric and child developmental physical therapist, and continued to do my M.A. and to work with children with disabilities.
In 2009 I went back to my first love and began to play wheelchair basketball. Being an athlete again was a significant and powerful step for me.  I have represented Israel in the 2011 and 2013 European wheelchair basketball championship, and was elected for the All Star team of the tournament. On top of that I play with the professional men team of Biet Halochem Tel Aviv.
At the end of 2010 I took up para-rowing as an individual sport. I have represented Israel in para-rowing ever since and had the privilege to compete 4 times in the Paralympic games, Recently I have accomplished my biggest dream, and won the Gold in Paris 2024.