Maja Kazazic

Drawing from her incredible life-affirming story of resilience, Maja Kazazic shows organizations and individuals how to harness the power of empathy to turn loss into growth and surpass their greatest expectations. 

When she was 16 years old, Maja Kazazic's life changed forever. In the summer of 1993, two years into the Bosnian War—a genocide that killed 250,000 people and injured millions—a rocket-propelled grenade exploded in her courtyard destroying her home and killing five of her friends. Her legs were shattered in the blast. In a makeshift hospital, Maja eventually required amputation of her left leg without any anesthetic. 

Kazazic lay close to death when she was selected to be one of three children evacuated for treatment. She left her home and her family with only a teddy bear, a t-shirt and a rock. As people in Maja's new hometown of Cumberland, Maryland learned of her story, the community volunteered their time, money, and effort to make her whole again.

Despite struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and constant panic attacks and night terrors, Maja was determined to overcome her obstacles. She learned how to walk again, finished high school and college, and eventually started a very successful software company whose clients included Fortune 100 companies. She has since learned to windsurf, play tennis and golf, and even run. 

Today, Maja is passionate about motivating others to face their challenges, break down their barriers and reach their greatest goals, sharing her inspiring story and the strategies that helped her succeed.