A new mother who lost both her legs to sepsis has revealed how she can do everything a parent with limbs can do, just ‘in a different way’.
Hülya Marquardt, 37, and her husband Dennis Marquardt, 36, from Stuttgart, Germany, welcomed their first son on May 11 this year.
Fashion boutique owner Hülya was born with deformed hands and legs, and underwent 21 operations during the first six years of her life.
Hülya Marquardt, 37, r who lost both her legs to sepsis has revealed how she can do everything a parent with limbs can do, just ‘in a different way’
Fashion boutique owner Hülya was born with deformed hands and legs, and underwent 21 operations during the first six years of her life. She now lives a ‘normal’ life, and says she can do anything a parent with limbs can
Hülya is pictured cooking at home, she often uses makeshift devices to get around as it’s easier than a bulky wheelchair
Despite learning to walk normally, at 18 she developed sepsis and was forced to have her legs amputated. Hülya says her disability impacts her daily life in various ways and the deformities in her hands make it hard for her to grab things, but it won’t stop her from looking after her newborn and travelling the world. She is pictured playing pool
Despite learning to walk normally, at 18 she developed sepsis and was forced to have her legs amputated.
Hülya says her disability impacts her daily life in various ways and the deformities in her hands make it hard for her to grab things, but it won’t stop her from looking after her newborn and travelling the world.
‘There are some things that I need help with and I use a wheelchair to get around but I often simply crawl or use a skateboard or a small trolley as it is often more convenient.
‘Having a big, heavy chair with me and trying to get in and out of the car can be hard and some places like shops have steps in front of them so I get out of my chair to walk on my hands and stumps.
Hülya, pictured, started her own Instagram account to help others with disabilities see they can travel the world too
Hulya added she often crawls or uses a skateboard or a small trolley to move as it is often more convenient. She is pictured on a skateboard
Hülya is pictured at home. She said welcoming her son was ‘scary at first’ but she ‘can handle it pretty well now’
Hülya launched an Instagram account where she documents her daily life as both a disabled woman and a new mum, with incredible pictures which has racked up a 22.5k followers
‘It is easier to do so with having only a skateboard with me,’ she said.
Speaking about how life has changed since welcoming her baby boy, Hülya added, ‘It was scary at first but I can handle it pretty well now. You just get used to doing stuff differently.
‘Our house isn’t really especially equipped but my father-in-law kindly made me a basket on wheels with a mattress in it so I can transport my baby from one room to another while I am crawling.’
‘I breastfeed full time, I change the nappies. I basically do everything a mother with limbs does, just in a different way.’
Hülya wants often people to know that they can do anything a person with limbs can, including quad biking (left) and modelling (right)
The mother-of-one said she felt inspired to start an Instagram account after travelling ‘out of her comfort zone’ with her husband and realising anything was possible, despite her disability
Hülya often shares stunning pictures to her Instagram account – including ones with her newborn son who was born in May
Hülya added that she has done ‘so much she never thought a legless girl could do’ since getting married and having a son
Hülya launched an Instagram account where she documents her daily life as both a disabled woman and a new mum, with incredible pictures which has racked up a 22.5k followers.
The mother-of-one said she felt inspired to do so after travelling ‘out of her comfort zone’ with her husband and realising anything was possible, despite her disability.
‘We were on a beach in southern Italy as Dennis and me used to travel a lot. I didn’t before I met him but he took me out of my comfort zone and basically travelled the world with me, we even went on a safari in Kenya where we slept in tents.’
Hulya wants to make disabled people more visible in the public eye, adding many are scared of people staring at them
The fashion boutique owner added she thinks there need to be more people on social media, TV, and the public with disabilities
Hülya met husband Dennis in 2015 and the pair got married in 2018. She credits him for making life much easier
‘This is all stuff you wouldn’t expect a legless girl to do but it was possible. Dennis carried me everywhere or I simply crawled; not being bothered about people staring.’
‘We never encountered other severely disabled travellers along the way and on that day, on that beach, we decided to use Dennis’ photography hobby to show that you can travel, you can dress stylish, you can feel attractive even though your body is different and all you have to do is go outside and do what you always wanted to do and let people think what they think and don’t care about the staring faces.’
‘Often, disabled people are more disabled by their fear of people looking at them than they are by their disability itself.
‘I learned to overcome this also thanks to my husband. I think if more of us are out there in public, on social media, and on TV, it will become a normal sight for people.’
The new mother is also the ‘only legless boutique owner in Germany’ which she says ‘often comes a surprise to people who come into my shop to buy a nice dress or a denim skirt and get served by a woman in a wheelchair
Hülya says she regularly gets messages from her followers all around the world telling her that her photos motivate and inspire them not to hide anymore but to go out and grab the life they want to live despite their disabilities
The fearless mum credits her can-do, positive attitude towards life for helping her to achieve success
Hulya is now happy with her body, but initially was scared following her amputation. ‘I remember looking in the mirror for the first time after the amputations and fully realising that I only have half a body now, and I thought to myself that now I really have to start studying in school to get a good job and that’s what I did’ she said
Hülya met husband Dennis in 2015 and the pair got married in 2018.
She credits him for making life much easier.
‘If you have a good partner and you really want it, do it. There is always a way and a solution for everything.’
Hülya says she regularly gets messages from her followers all around the world telling her that her photos motivate and inspire them not to hide anymore but to go out and grab the life they want to live despite their disabilities.
Hulya is pictured with her newborn son, she said many things, including becoming a mother, is something she never thought would happen. ‘I breastfeed full time, I change the nappies. I basically do everything a mother with limbs does, just in a different way,’ she added
Using her husband’s photography skills, Hulya decided to show the world disabled people can travel, dress stylish, you can feel attractive even though your body is different
Hulya added that all you have to do is go outside and do what you always wanted to do and let people think what they think and don’t care about the staring faces
Hulya, pictured in her boutique, says she think this positive and happy attitude made it possible for me to live the life I have despite the challenges
Hulya added that despite ‘looking different’ she’s never ‘felt different’ and can do the same things as most people
Hulya added that after holding down a full-time job, being independent, having my her flat and car she wanted more and she thought to herself that maybe there actually is a man out there who would love her
Hulya says she has very much found love and our happiness which has just skyrocketed having a ‘wonderful, perfect baby boy’
The new mother is also the ‘only legless boutique owner in Germany’ which she says ‘often comes a surprise to people who come into my shop to buy a nice dress or a denim skirt and get served by a woman in a wheelchair.’
The fearless mum credits her can-do, positive attitude towards life for helping her to achieve success.
‘I think this positive and happy attitude made it possible for me to live the life I have despite the challenges. I know I look different and I do things differently from most people but I have never felt different.’
Hulya is pictured posing in a photograph taken by her husband. The pair take pictures to normalise disabled people in the public eye
Being the only legless boutique owner in Germany, Hulya says customers are often very surprised when they’re served by her
‘I remember looking in the mirror for the first time after the amputations and fully realising that I only have half a body now, and I thought to myself that now I really have to start studying in school to get a good job and that’s what I did.
‘I always looked forward and stayed positive.’
‘After holding down a full-time job, being independent, having my own flat and car I wanted more and I thought to myself that maybe there actually is a man out there who would love me, find me attractive and want to be with me despite all my scars and my crippled body.’
Hulya added her son has brought her ‘so much joy and happiness’ adding she has ‘a lot of independence’ despite being told she’d spend her life in carehomes
Hulya is pictured wit her husband, the couple met in 2015 and welcomed their first baby this year
‘Well I found him and we are very much in love and our happiness has just skyrocketed having this wonderful, perfect baby boy.
‘So I am a mum now, a wife, a fashion boutique owner and I have a full-time job.
‘When I was 18 doctors believed that I would be in a care home all my life. I think everything I have achieved was possible because I always believed that it could be.’
Hulya added that when she was 18 doctors believed that she would be in a care home all her life, but she now thinks anything is possible