“In every letter, word, line, poem, you will find me. I am Blerina, who stays awake between the covers of this book and smiles at life. Dear reader, whenever you flip through this book, you will always find me awake. Awake for better days…”

Written in one of Blerina Myrtezi’s books

“I was born free, and free I want to be. That is my dream…”

Sitting in her wheelchair, holding her three books, Blerina watches the children playing near the park. Their joyful noise brings back memories of a distant time, before she turned 15—years when everything felt easy, before life opened the door to a completely different reality.

The third child of the Myrtezi family began experiencing health problems, which later led to a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy, an illness that made walking impossible for her.

Blerina Myrtezi’s story begins with memories of childhood: full of life, many colors, and limitless dreams.

“I am Blerina Myrtezi, I am 32 years old. This is my story. I was not born as a person with special needs. At the age of 15, I was forced to sit in a wheelchair. It was very difficult for me to accept it. I accepted it with difficulty, but with the help of friends I tried to come to terms with it. I finished elementary school at ‘Dardania’ school in Rakaj, Ferizaj, and one year of high school I completed in Prishtina at the Resource Center for Learning and Counseling ‘Përparimi’.”

She never wants to be treated as a person with disabilities, not even when she is forced to ask for rights and access that, in their absence, make her life much more difficult.

She was not able to continue her education, and today she considers employment almost impossible. She lives only on the pension provided for paraplegics and quadriplegics, a small amount that is never enough to cover her monthly needs.

“Even in the wheelchair, I didn’t stop. I didn’t stop and continued. Even today I continue the same—I don’t want to feel like a person with special needs. Because I was not born that way; I was born free, and free I want to be. That is my dream.”

Her verses carry the weight of all she feels and wishes to express. With the loss of her brother, she endured yet another blow in life.

In 2018, Blerina published her first book of poetry. “Dare,” “My Dreams,” and “Smile for Tomorrow” are the titles of her three books.

“In 2018, I received the title of poet. What made me start writing is my circle of friends. The death of my brother also gave me strength—I have mentioned it many times—my brother was the strongest reason for me not to give up, to make it, to reach where I am today. It is a bit difficult for me to speak and express what I have in my heart, so I wrote it instead. I didn’t stop; I always did physical exercises, hoping that one day I will walk again.”

What saddens her most is when people around her do not include her or treat her differently.

“It is an exhausting illness, exhausting because it hasn’t allowed me to express what I feel. When I see people walking by, it feels as if they don’t exist, as if they behave with indifference toward me. I don’t know—it is very strange, but I know that I have a big heart, and I continue, and I do not stop.”

The 32-year-old from Ferizaj is now awaiting the publication of her fourth book, which talks about friendship.

                                                                             Blerina Myrtezi

                                                                                    June 2025