from ashes to light

Jean-Baptiste Alaize and Adeline Fleury

(Michel Lafon, 288 pages, 2021)

***TRANSLATION SAMPLE AVAILABLE HERE***

From Ashes to Light is an outstanding memoir of paralympian Jean-Baptiste Alaize. Although Alaize courageously tackles dark memories from the past, his autobiography, above all else, conveys a compelling message about overcoming adversity.

In 1994, Mugashi (Alaize’s real name) grew up happily in a small Tutsi village northeast of Burundi until, in 1994, a part of his family was murdered during a mass killing. His mother was decapitated before his eyes, and he was struck four times with a machete; left for dead. As a result of his injuries, he lost his right leg. He was only three.

His father abandoned him, and he ended up living in an orphanage. He was adopted by a French family in 1998, and moved to Montelimar, France. His adoptive father himself had had both legs amputated. Alaize’s inhibitions about his prosthesis were put to rest when he realized that he excelled in track and field. Despite his disability, Alaize is a gifted and driven athlete.

A four-time under-23 long jump world champion, he competed in two Paralympic Games (London in 2012 and Rio in 2016). In his striking first-person account, co-written with Adeline Fleury, Alaize advocates for resilience through sport. Running, and the feeling of freedom associated with it, helped him overcome his traumatic memories and grieve over the loss of his family. His incredible motivation comes from the ordeal he went through that keeps returning in flashbacks. With the endless love and continuous support of his adoptive family, and finally a trip back to his native Burundi where he meets his long-lost sisters, Alaize eventually overcomes his tortured past. Chasing the American dream, he admits that he suffers from lack of recognition in France. He now lives and trains in Miami, Florida, where his aspirations can be realized.

The Netflix documentary “Rising Phoenix”, released in August 2020, retraces Alaize’s lifelong heartening journey from darkness to success. He is featured with eight other paralympic athletes who all contribute to a global understanding of disability and diversity.

Jean-Baptiste Alaize is a French paralympic athlete. He lives in Miami, Florida.