I Lost My Legs In A Bomb Explosion | SHAKE MY BEAUTY

SUBSCRIBE to Truly: http://bit.ly/Oc61Hj

HAVEN SHEPHERD, now 17, was a 14-month-old baby when her Vietnamese parents triggered a suicide bomb that killed them both but left Haven alive – though she lost both legs below the knee. Her parents set off the bomb in protest because they couldn’t be together; they’d had an affair and Vietnamese society wouldn't accept a baby born out of an illicit relationship. Haven was put into a shelter because her biological grandparents couldn’t afford to pay her medical bills. At 20-months-old, Haven was adopted by the Shepherd family from Carthage, Missouri. The family encouraged Haven to be as active as possible and she’s never felt ashamed of her stumps or prosthetics and says she is blessed to have the life she does. The year 2020 was meant to be one of the biggest of Haven Shepherd’s life. The 17-year-old para swimmer was set to qualify to compete at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. But thanks to COVID-19, Haven’s Paralympic dreams are on pause. Before the pandemic broke out Haven would train at the pool seven days a week, pulling double sessions on weekdays. The rest of her schedule was packed with schooling, CrossFit and ice baths. Now Haven, in Carthage Missouri, uses her relative’s backyard pool to swim laps. The teenager remains focused on making the Games 2021 and beyond that has hopes of making it in the modelling industry – she’s already appeared in campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger adaptive wear and swimwear brand Jolyn.

Follow Haven here:   / havenfaithshepherd  

Videographer: James Payne
Producers: Nathalie Bonney, Rafaela Kuznec, James Thorne
Editor: Ethan Edwards

Click here to follow your favourite Truly shows on Instagram!
Truly -   / trulyshow  
Born Different -   / borndifferentshow  
Shake My Beauty -   / shakemybeauty  
Hooked On The Look -   / hookedonthelookshow  
Beastly -   / beastlyshow  
Ridiculous Rides -   / ridiculousridesshow  
Dog Dynasty -   / dogdynastyshow  

For more amazing content, click here!
Beastly:    / @beastlychannel  
Barcroft Cars:    / barcroftcars