“I lost my body balance. I couldn’t even stand. I had to lie in bed for weeks,” he recalled in an interview with Wau Post. “Eventually, I regained my strength and was able to move around again, but my hearing never came back.”
What followed was a period of deep depression. Jeshurun found himself battling inner turmoil, unsure of how to move forward until music came into his life in an unexpected way.
“One day, I heard a song that moved me. I tried to play it, and my late mother noticed the spark in me,” he shared with New Straits Times. “She encouraged me to pursue music and enrolled me in lessons.”
Despite being initially turned away for being too young, Jeshurun’s passion never wavered. Music became his form of healing : his way of expressing what words couldn’t. Starting with the bass guitar, he endured teasing from others due to the instrument’s size in comparison to his small frame.
“People used to joke that the guitar was playing me,” he said with a laugh. “But I was determined. With enough dedication and my mother’s support, I was playing basic songs within three months.”
His perseverance paid off. In 2020, Jeshurun was inducted into the Malaysia Book of Records for having travelled to the greatest number of countries by an individual, having visited over 100 countries. But his journey didn’t stop there.
Since 2014, beginning with a trip to Myanmar, Jeshurun has travelled to 155 countries and counting, spreading messages of hope, unity, and cultural connection through music and storytelling. With just his guitar in hand, he sought to inspire others to overcome their own setbacks and pursue their dreams, no matter the odds.
His story has already touched countless lives. “Someone once told me that after hearing my journey, she overcame her suicidal thoughts and found the courage to keep going,” he shared. “That’s the true reward for me.”
But tragedy followed him home. In early 2020, just one week before Malaysia went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeshurun returned from abroad after learning that his mother’s health had deteriorated. She had been battling cancer and was expected to have several more months to live.
Tragically, she was exposed to a COVID-positive doctor while awaiting discharge and had to be isolated. “She was in good spirits and texted us to say she was okay,” he recounted. “That Saturday, she said she was fine. On Sunday, she was gone.”
Jeshurun lost his mother his biggest supporter on April 5, 2020. The pain was compounded by the fact that she never got to witness his record-breaking achievement or see how far he had come. “I wish she had lived to see me grow further as a musician. Her faith in me was not unfounded,” he said solemnly.
Earlier, life had already dealt him a harsh blow with the sudden death of his younger brother in a road accident in 2014. “He was my closest friend,” Jeshurun said simply.
Despite the setbacks, Jeshurun never gave up. He completed a degree in finance while continuing his pursuit of music. His deafness didn’t define him, it challenged him to redefine what was possible.
“People told me I’d never be able to play music again. That I should accept this as a punishment from God. But I refused to believe that. I chose to keep going.”
Today, Jeshurun is also an author. His memoir Into The Potter’s Hands chronicles his remarkable travels and transformation. He is currently working on his second book about his journey through South America.
To those facing their own struggles, Jeshurun offers a powerful reminder:
“Don’t view every setback as a failure. Sometimes, like a rubber band, we need to be pulled back first before we can be launched forward.”
Thank you for inspiring others by your story, Jeshurun!
Source : NST , KLN
Image Credit and Info : Jeshurun Vincent