Tonight, The Foundation for enhancement of education and culture “Source of Hope” organised a motivational lecture by Sabahudin Tričić called “Strengthening the will—the driving force in us!”

Tričić, who completely lost his vision in 1992, told the audience about his life path which led him from Bosnia to the US, and from losing his eyesight to becoming a professor at several American universities.

Throughout the lecture, the young people had a chance to hear how to work on boosting their will, how to awaken our inner capacities that we all possess but don’t use sufficiently, and how to continue when things do not go as we imagined.

“It took a lot of work to get used to working without sight. You all here are the hope, actually, you’re at the source of hope. Some students at the universities that I teach at don’t even know about my blindness because I do everything the way that all other professors do, ” said Tričić, reminding the audience of the path he took from Bosnia to America.

“It’s important to know that I was a sophomore at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in 1992. I was a member of the Karate Club “Bosna”, and I was the junior champion. I loved to draw back then.

One battle on Trebević took my eyesight. I got hit by three pieces of shrapnel, two in the eyes and one between the eyes that went through my skull and the center for balance. By all medical diagnoses I should not be able to stand or walk but I am a five-time champion in para-karate, ” said Tričić and continued: ” The surgery lasted eight or nine hours, they operated on me with the help of flashlights. They didn’t tell me I was blind that December in 1992.

I managed to get through the airport, through Dobrinja and via Igman to Zenica. We went through 64 security checks before we reached Zenica. With my wife Lejla, I managed to get to Zagreb, and after a while to California.

When I arrived I didn’t speak English. I knew Russian but nobody spoke Russian. After 20 days, they told me it was the most that they could do about my vision. We said: Let’s move on!”.

Professor at several American universities

From 2014 Tričić works as a professor at Grantham University. He also teaches computer science at the Colorado Technical University, South New Hampshire University and Columbia Southern University.

“We need to learn that we have our ups and downs. When we’re up, we have to collect energy and when we’re down, we have to find that energy. The first thing is to accept reality – in my case that you’re blind. I’ve decided that my wife and I will go to college, graduate, get a job and live a normal life, “said the guest lecturer.

“At first, my problem was the language. I learned the language after two years and started college in May 1994, majoring in geography. My daughter was born soon after. Today, my wife is an English teacher at university “, Tričić pointed out what it means to have a strong will for change and progress and continued:

“After 280 applications, I got a job. But I didn’t quit after the fifth or the tenth application. I didn’t say “I’m blind,” but I said that I know how to program and that I can do it!”

Tričić told the young people they have to believe and not lose hope. “You should always have hope. It is what it is. If you believe it or not, there are problems in America too. You have the chance to start a company here. Bosnians can create a lot wherever they go. You have to discipline yourself. The leadership won’t change as long as we don’t change ourselves. Some people want to show that it cannot be changed, but I believe it can, and we have to believe that it can”, said Tričić.

In his spare time, Tričić goes fishing, travels with his family and practices martial arts like karate, Kobudo and Daito-Ryu. He has been in the national team of the United States in para-karate for seven years. He has also won multiple titles at the Panamerican Continental Championship, and is fifth in the world ranking as of 2018.

Kasim Kajdić, a scholarship student of the Foundation “Source of Hope”, a student at the Academy of Fine Arts and the head of the Foundation’s creative team handed a handcrafted gift to Professor Tričić as a token of appreciation for the held lecture and spent time with the scholarship students.