After his rugby dream ended in a nightmare, Dano Swart unlocked the champion within and discovered that barriers are meant to be broken
In May 2019, as a fullback for the first team at Hoërskool Brandwag, Dano Swart featured in the final Under-18 Eastern Province Craven Week trials at Framesby High School in Gqeberha when tragedy struck.
“Just before the second half, I broke through the defensive line and was tackled by two players around the 22-metre line,” Dano recalls.
“One came high from the front and the other low from behind, almost like a scissor. I remember lying there in intense pain, trying everything to make it stop, but I was unable to move.”
“Then I heard my mother’s voice and told her, ‘I think I broke my neck’. She and the coaches kept everyone calm and instructed no one to move me until the ambulance arrived.”
“It arrived within a few minutes after actually being called to the B-field, but mistakenly arrived at the A-field at exactly the right moment. For me, that timing was a clear sign of how amazing God is,” the now 24-year-old shares.
Dano broken his C4/C5 vertebrae and was left paralysed. Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse for him at Greenacres Hospital.
“The neck operation was performed, and I spent three nights in the high care unit, eating for the first time on the third night. That evening, I aspirated and was moved to the ICU to be intubated and ventilated, where I stayed for about three months,” he notes.
“After that, I returned to high care for another month before being transferred to Aurora Rehabilitation Hospital, where I spent around two to three months.”
Dano admits that things were extremely tough, both physically and mentally, but he was born with the eye of the tiger, and a shift in focus allowed him to start building towards a new future.
“The early months were the hardest. I couldn’t breathe on my own, had many setbacks due to my lungs, couldn’t use my hands, sit up straight, speak, or eat. I was just lying there looking at the ceiling,” he recalls.
“The turning point came at Aurora. Seeing and feeling the constant support of my family, friends and the rugby community made me feel stronger and convinced me that everything would eventually be okay.”
He returned to school and matriculated in 2020 and has since co-founded the Beyond Barriers Foundation along with Frans-Hendrik Badenhorst and Rickus Strydom.
“When I was in Potchefstroom, I noticed that many people only saw the wheelchair and not me as a real person. I forced myself to push through that, but I kept thinking about others with disabilities who might not feel strong enough to face that kind of disappointment,” Dano comments.
“Some might end up staying home and missing out on life because of how people make them feel. We started the Beyond Barriers Foundation to build a community where people with disabilities can be the hero in their own story,” he explained.
“Our mission is to provide opportunities and support so people with physical disabilities can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics.”
“We believe that involvement in sport at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence, and enhances quality of life. We want to create adaptive sports, fitness and rehabilitation opportunities, along with active adventures and events for differently abled people living in South Africa.”
“I’ve been involved in motivational speaking at schools about the Foundation, raising awareness and helping able-bodied people understand that there is so much more to a person with a disability than their appearance. We continuously look for individuals whom we can support to become the next Natalie du Toit,” he adds.
An athlete to his core, Dano (with the help of Badenhorst) completed the Cape Town Marathon last year, finishing in four hours and 13 minutes. He shares: “It was an incredible experience. The energy and support from the crowd were electrifying!”
In addition to growing Beyond Barriers and training for his next marathon, Dano’s studying online for a Bachelor’s degree in IT and App Development while coaching rugby at his former high school.
He gave special thanks to the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund for their support since his injury, saying: “The Players’ Fund has been a lifeline, from practical support like equipment and modifications, to emotional encouragement and support.”
“I can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done for me and are still doing!”
Powered by the heart of a champion, Dano’s story is a striking revelation that resilience, community and purpose can turn even the toughest challenge into a platform for growth.
Touching on this, he comments: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that your life can change at any moment, so enjoy it to the fullest. On top of that, I’ve learned that your circumstances don’t define you. Your response does.”
