Dear Marie Noelle
Your story rang a bell as I just came back from a seminar in France (Tamura + Yamada + Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba) and we had two yudanshas (black belts) both with an arm missing and I can assure you they did brilliant aikido despite their severe disabilities and both seemed to really enjoy it.
Also, one of O sensei's ushi deshis, Sugano shihan, has been teaching in seminars with a missing leg for a couple of years or so and you almost forget it when you watch him.
I think it needs determination and stamina to just keep on moving in life after such traumatic events let alone practice and/or teach aikido!
Concerning "special people", I think it is a lot more difficult for obvious reasons but if Jimmy reached blue belt in TWD, that means a lot and is actually touching. Furthermore, it shows he can progress in sports and has that extra stamina a lot of us lack to overcome his own fears and insecurities.
These people are for me REAL heroes and should always be mentioned as true role models.
Cherif