- Xolani Luvuno’s turnaround story – from homeless addict to Comrades finisher – inspired many South Africans.
- He died after a relapse in September 2021.
- News24 will soon release a documentary chronicling Luvuno’s remarkable transformation, athletic feats, and the lives he touched along the way.
Amputee athlete Xolani Luvuno first made headlines in 2017 when he completed the 42.2km Wally Hayward marathon on crutches – showcasing an incredible feat of the human spirit.
The beggar-turned Comrades finisher’s journey of determination, resilience and redemption made headlines on many occasions – until his tragic death in September 2021.
Luvuno twice conquered the ‘Voet van Afrika’ marathon and finished the gruelling Buffalo City half-Ironman triathlon.
He also successfully completed the swimming and cycling legs of the full Ironman in 2019, but narrowly missed the run cut-off time because he had broken his hand earlier in the race.
Luvuno, who grew up in rural Eastern Cape, spent the first half of his life running from his problems and the law.
READ | Mentor hails late, ‘angelic’ amputee-athlete Xolani Luvuno: ‘He baked cakes with crumbs’
In the grip of drug addiction, he turned to a life of crime and spent five years in jail when he was caught red-handed during a house robbery.
Luvuno was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2009, and his right leg was amputated.
When local businessman Hein Venter met him in 2016, Luvuno was destitute, living under a bridge in Pretoria, addicted to alcohol and nyaope.
He’d been begging at an intersection in Centurion when their paths first crossed.
“26 April 2016, that date I can’t forget, it’s like my birthday date. It’s where my life is changing. It’s when I met Mr Hein Venter,” Luvuno told News24 during an interview in 2019.
Venter offered him a lifeline and the means to turn his life around.
“If you look at the time that I invested in Xolani, versus the impact that it had on his life, it was the greatest time investment ever,” Venter told News24.
Venter said:
One day, I was feeding a beggar, and the next day, I was standing in the shadow of a superstar, and I’m blessed to have had this experience.
Speaking about Luvuno’s untimely death, Venter added: “It should not have ended this way.”
Embracing his second chance, Luvuno courageously pursued his dreams, lacing up his running shoes, not just for himself but to inspire others. He found solace in running.
“I love my challenges. My challenges are not my enemies. [When I run] I feel like I’m just normal,” Luvuno said.
“I don’t know why I’m running, but I love running.”
In Running Man: The Xolani Luvuno Story, News24 chronicles Luvuno’s remarkable transformation, athletic feats, and the lives he touched along the way.
Watch the trailer now.
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