Strong-willed individuals. Tamere Zegaye: A man from Ethiopia who is capable of moving around using his hands more efficiently than he can use his feet. Indeed, born with deformed feet, Tamere has devoted his entire childhood to developing the strength and coordination of his arms.3 photos

People of Strong Spirit: Tameru Zegeye
A man from Ethiopia who can move with his hands better than he can with his feet. Born with deformed feet, Tameru devoted his childhood to developing his hands.

Tameru Zegeye was born in Ethiopia. When his mother saw his deformed limbs, she immediately believed he was cursed and abandoned him. Without a normal childhood, Tameru spent his early years crawling on the ground like a snake.

Later, realizing that his strength lay in his hands, Tameru mastered walking on his palms by the age of 7. He even learned to walk with crutches, eventually standing up on his own. Though his feet remained affected, he continued to practice daily.p>Tameru was popular among his peers because he could do things others couldn’t. He enjoyed entertaining people with his skills, and this talent has stayed with him throughout his life.

He retains his morning routine of waking up at 5 a.m. to train. Today, he can perform incredible feats on his hands—using sticks similar to crutches, he can cover long distances, climb mountains, and perform acrobatics with ease.p>When walking through Addis Ababa, people stop to watch as he moves with his hands. Though he could walk normally too, Tameru enjoys the attention and takes pride in his skills.