While most students navigate the typical hurdles of university life, Michael Best, a young man living with spastic quadriplegia, faced the compounded difficulties of a condition that made even simple tasks like taking notes and holding a pen a struggle. But Michael didn’t give up. He adapted and holds a story that proves extraordinary achievements are possible even against significant odds.
Pretoria, South Africa (16 September 2025) – University is hard enough for just about any young person, given the overwhelming amount of information, complex theoretical lectures, and tough assessments and exams.
For Michael Best, who lives with spastic quadriplegia, these challenges were compounded by the extraordinary stress of limited mobility, multiple surgeries and ongoing pain while trying to pursue his Honours degree at the University of Pretoria (UP).
Michael’s condition is a form of cerebral palsy that affects all four limbs and makes physical tasks immensely difficult. Unlike most students, he wasn’t able to take down notes during lectures. The gifted scholar had to listen, reflect and type with a single finger slowly but with intent.
“I do all my assignments and exams on my laptop since I struggle to hold a pen,” Michael tells UP.
“I can type, but at a rather slow pace because I use only my right index finger.”
The determined student got permission to record the sessions on his phone instead and made his notes at home at his own pace.
“The department also uploads their study materials onto ClickUP, and this is incredibly useful as my spasticity makes it rather difficult to hold documents,” he explains.
Through these aids, Michael was also able to catch up on work when he went in for surgeries. In 2023 and 2024, he underwent two major hip surgeries and a rhizotomy, a surgical procedure to sever pain-transmitting nerve fibres.
“Life was far from easy last year. I wish I could say that I managed to balance my life in academia and my personal life, but I didn’t manage it very well,” he admits.
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With the consistent support of the English Department and an unshakeable determination to realise his dream and craft, Michael completed his course, obtaining his Honours in English this year – a qualification rooted in his love for literature, and has allowed him to explore multiple perspectives of the human condition.
He is thankful for his parents’ support and aspires to pursue postgraduate studies while building a career in academia because, as he puts it, “life in academia has been a magical time”.
Michael is no doubt a resilient soul, whose perseverance against extremely challenging odds inspires and teaches us that where there is a will, there is always a way. We congratulate him on his achievement and wish him continued success!
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