I heard about the wedding from a friend: the heartbreaking and inspiring journey of Woman who was dumped after an accident left her paralysed
In the quiet town of Livingstone, Zambia, a story of love, betrayal, and resilience continues to echo through the hearts of those who have heard it — the story of Luundu Mwanakasale, a woman whose strength was tested not by fate alone, but by the very person who once promised her forever.
Once an ambitious teaching student full of dreams and a heart aflame with love, Luundu’s life changed forever on a December morning in 2014. It was supposed to be one of the happiest periods of her life — the countdown to her wedding. She was engaged, five months pregnant, and heading out to try on her wedding dress. But destiny had other plans that would shatter her world and redefine her meaning of strength.
It was December 24, 2014 — Christmas Eve. Luundu and her fiancé were travelling from Lusaka to Livingstone, a journey that should have ended in laughter and anticipation of their upcoming nuptials. Her fiancé was behind the wheel, navigating the long, hot Zambian highway. But as they reached Monze, tragedy struck.
The car veered off the road and overturned, tossing its occupants like rag dolls. In the aftermath, her fiancé emerged almost unscathed — not even a fracture. But Luundu was not so fortunate. Her spine had been crushed. The doctors later told her she had suffered a spinal cord injury, a spinal stroke, and would never walk again.
The impact also caused the loss of her five-month-old pregnancy — a child she had already begun to dream about, a child who was supposed to begin their new life together as a family.
What followed was months of intense pain, both physical and emotional. She spent nearly three months in the hospital, confined to a bed, re-learning how to live in a body that would no longer obey her commands.
And through it all, her fiancé — the man who had promised to love her “in sickness and in health” — appeared to stand by her. But his presence, as she would later learn, was only temporary and conditional.
When the wedding date came, the decorations were cancelled, the dress never worn, and the church stood silent. Luundu was still in the hospital, paralysed and fighting for her life. The wedding that was supposed to unite two souls became a haunting reminder of what was lost.
In the months that followed, her fiancé remained by her side — at least in appearance. They continued to communicate. He reassured her, again and again, that the wedding would still happen “once she was strong enough.” For a long time, she believed him.
But beneath that façade of concern and care was another reality. He had already begun to drift away, emotionally and physically. And then came the day that shattered whatever hope remained.
“I just heard from my friend, four days before his wedding, that he was getting married,” Luundu recalled.
It was a phone call she would never forget — a call from a friend who had stumbled upon the news. Her fiancé was preparing to marry another woman. The reason? Because Luundu could no longer walk.
“If it wasn’t for my friend, I wouldn’t have known,” she said. “He kept telling me he would still marry me. We were communicating, everything seemed fine. But four days before his wedding, I heard the truth.”
When she tried to reach him, he didn’t pick up her calls. He ignored her messages. Silence replaced the affection that once filled their conversations. Three weeks after the wedding, he finally called — not to apologize, not to explain — but to ask if her bank account was still active so he could send hospital money.
After that, everything fell apart. Her dreams of becoming a teacher faded. Her motivation to continue living seemed to vanish.
“The day I found out he was getting married, I fell into real depression,” she told Kalemba News. “I dropped out of college. I couldn’t focus anymore. I couldn’t believe someone could throw me away just because I couldn’t walk.”
Depression wrapped itself around her like a fog, clouding every thought. She isolated herself, refusing to eat or talk. Her only solace was found in baking — an activity she picked up to distract herself from the pain. She would bake bread and pastries, not because she was hungry, but because the act of mixing, kneading, and watching dough rise gave her something small to control in a life that had spun out of control.
For years, she lived in that shadow — surviving each day but never truly living.
By 2021, seven years after the accident, Luundu had had enough of pitying herself. Something inside her shifted.
“I told myself, I’ve cried enough — nalila vyambili,” she said, using her native Bemba expression for “I have cried too much.”
She looked around and saw her mother — her only parent — who had been her pillar through the darkest days. She saw the friends and family who had prayed and cared for her when she couldn’t care for herself. And she realized she owed them — and herself — a second chance.
So she picked herself up and made a decision that changed her life once again.
Luundu enrolled at Chreso University to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. It wasn’t easy. Her condition made mobility difficult. She faced physical pain, logistical challenges, and occasional stares of pity from others. But she refused to give up.
“I decided to go back to school because of my family that took care of me when I was sick,” she said. “I thought of the people who fought for me to be alive when I was in the hospital. I said, I will not stop living because of a man who chose his own happiness.”
Rising from the ashes
Her resilience paid off. In 2024, Luundu graduated from Chreso University with a Distinction in Education. The same woman who had been written off by her former fiancé, by doctors, and even by society, stood proudly on stage — not on her feet, but in her wheelchair — holding her degree.
It was more than a certificate. It was proof that she had conquered pain, loss, and abandonment.
Now 35, Luundu teaches Civic Education and Religious Studies, mentoring young minds about morality, resilience, and integrity — values she had to learn the hard way. She says her purpose now is to inspire others, especially those with disabilities, never to surrender their dreams because of circumstance.
“I want to teach people to fear God, to be good citizens, and to never give up. Disability is not inability,” she declared.
A love that sees beyond disability
Eleven years after her life changed forever, love found Luundu again. Today, she is happily engaged to a man who, in her words, “saw beyond her wheelchair.”
“He saw me for who I am — not what I lost,” she smiled.
Her new fiancé, who has chosen to remain out of the spotlight, treats her with dignity and affection. He reminds her daily that she deserves joy, companionship, and respect — things that should never have been taken away from her by someone else’s fear or selfishness.
Lessons from her journey
Luundu’s story is more than a tragic love story — it’s a mirror reflecting the silent struggles of many women who are abandoned when life tests their strength. Across Africa, and indeed the world, countless women living with disabilities face rejection, stigma, and emotional neglect from those who once promised love without limits.
But Luundu’s resilience offers a counter-narrative — a reminder that strength can grow from pain, and beauty can rise from brokenness.
She often tells her students that every setback is a setup for a comeback.
And her life is proof.
The power of healing and hope
Looking back, she doesn’t speak with bitterness. She speaks with wisdom.
“If that accident didn’t happen, maybe I wouldn’t have discovered my real strength,” she reflects. “And if he hadn’t left me, maybe I would never have known that I could survive on my own.”
In her eyes, forgiveness has been her greatest victory.
“I forgave him long ago,” she said. “I realized he acted out of weakness, not strength. People show who they really are when life becomes hard.”
Her story resonates deeply because it challenges the way society defines beauty, worth, and love. It reminds people that a woman’s value does not fade with physical limitations — it shines brighter when faced with adversity.
Eleven years later: the woman she became
Now, a decade after that life-altering Christmas Eve, Luundu Mwanakasale has reclaimed her narrative.
She is no longer the abandoned fiancée, no longer the patient confined to a hospital bed, no longer the young woman who dropped out of school in despair. She is an educator, an advocate, a survivor, and a symbol of courage.
Through her social media and speaking engagements, she continues to share her story to encourage others living with disabilities, urging them not to internalize shame or accept pity as love.
“My story is not about losing a man,” she says. “It’s about finding myself.”
A message to those who feel forgotten
Luundu’s message to people going through heartbreak, disability, or rejection is clear and deeply human:
“Don’t let anyone define your worth. Love yourself enough to rebuild your life. The people who truly love you will never abandon you when you’re weak — they’ll be the ones lifting you up.”
Epilogue: rising from the dust of dreams
What began as a love story that ended in betrayal has become a testimony of resilience. Today, when she wheels into her classroom in her neatly pressed attire, greeting her students with warmth and grace, few would imagine the darkness she had to pass through to stand — or rather, to sit — so tall.
Her life speaks louder than any words could: that hope is stronger than heartbreak, and that courage often wears the face of a woman who refuses to be broken by life.
“I am grateful,” she says now, looking back on everything. “Because through my pain, I found my purpose.”
And with that, Luundu Mwanakasale continues to live, teach, and love — proving that even when life takes away your ability to walk, it can never take away your ability to rise.