Inspiration can be your own gold
GEORGE - Two former learners of Eden Technical High School (PW Botha College at the time) are prime examples of the fact that there is a lot of potential in George. To inspire others in this difficult time of Covid-19, Grandt Damons (22) and Devon-John Swart (30) wanted to tell their stories to show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Both came from humble beginnings, but that did not prevent them from dreaming big and working hard to achieve their dreams.
Devon-John has sidestepped death three times. At two years old he almost drowned and when he was 10 he accidentally gassed himself, but survived. The third instance happened when he was playing in a swimming pool with friends who threw him into the water. He landed on his head and was unconscious for two days with a brain hemorrhage.
Ten years ago Devon-John got the opportunity of a lifetime to start working for Haygrove, an international soft fruit farm based in George, with his only qualification a matric certificate. This put him in the right place to become a berry specialist and contribute greatly to the success of the farm, says his proud mother, Tracey Swart.
She says he took the art of growing strawberries to new record yields of 72 tons a hectare.
In the prime of his life, he was headhunted to go work overseas. A large UK-based company asked him to join them as a soft fruit consultant.
He left recently to make Britain his new home.
His wife Chantel and his two boys Liam and Lucie will join him later.
Grandt, on the other hand, has achieved the first step to realising his dream of becoming a famous sport commentator.
He had the opportunity to do commentary for a rugby match on SuperSport and Hartland
TV. The young man, nicknamed Kommentator, has a strong faith and ascribes this success to the living God.
He says in his young life he has done a lot and also overcome a lot. When he did not pass Grade 10 in 2015, he thought his world had come to an end.
“I felt like I should just drop everything, and give up. But on my way home a gospel song came up that motivated me again: Tomorrow the sun will shine again and my tears will turn into laughter. I would love to one day be a commentator at a match between South Africa and the All Blacks. I would love to do a job with John van Rensburg and it is my dream to meet Hugh Bladen in real life,” says Grandt.
Grandt has worked hard to achieve the life he is currently living. But, he says, it would not have been possible without his support structure, his mom Sharon Booysen, his girlfriend Ashwelien Hendricks and his son Ashandt.
These men hope that their stories will inspire others to never give up, and to realise that with complete dedication and hard work, even your wildest dreams can come true.