These people are pure INSPIRATION!
What if you had no arms or legs?
If your mother was so shocked at your birth that she could not hold you. Would you say there were some obstacles to overcome?
Nick Vujici was born without arms or legs. He has a “chicken drumstick” toe as he calls it. It is toes on one side of his torso. Nothing else. When you see him for the first time it’s a shock. No arms or legs.
“You can’t even stand without risking to fall.”
― Nick Vujicic, Life Without Limits
To say he faced extreme obstacles in life is an understatement. Think “holding your fork to put food in your mouth”. Only problem is you don’t have arms, hands or fingers.
He was bullied at school because of his disability. He recalls that at some stage in his early life he had feelings of helplessness and isolation.
These feelings led him to attempt suicide.
How did he make it in life?
Through preseverance, determination and his faith he started to overcome challenges. He turned obstacles into opportunities. Stumbling stones into stepping stones.
“Pain is Pain. Broken is Broken. FEAR is the Biggest Disability of all. And will PARALYZE you More Than Being in a Wheelchair.”
― Nick Vujicic
Although he has no mental impairment a Victoria state law prevented him from attending a mainstream school because of his disability. The laws changed and he was one of the first physically disabeled students permitted to attend a mainstream school.
It may happen that you see a successful person and think they had it easy. Not Nick. Doing day to day normal things “limbed” people do is a effort.
It’s not easy!
Nick learned to write with two toes. He can use a computer with his “heel and toe” method. He learned to throw tennis balls, play drums,get a glass of water, comb his hair, brush his teeth, answer a phone, shave. This is in addition to playing golf,swimming, and sky-diving and wait for it…….Surf and swim in the sea.
One video shows how he falls into a swimming pool, and then swim away. Enjoying it! Can you come up with any excuses after you’ve seen a man without arms or legs do that?
What else has he achieved with his libmless 3′ 33″ (0.99 m)body to date?
And if you think he definitely does not have the ability or time to have a family. Think again. He and his beautiful wife Kanae have four children.
His passion is to inspire and equip the world to know that they can rise above every adversity and overcome disability of the heart and mind.
“… for every disability you have, you are blessed with more than enough abilities to overcome your challenges.”
― Nick Vujicic
Surfing shark attack survivor.
At age 13 Bethany Hamilton went for a morning surf. She started surfing at age 8 and gained her first sponsorship by the age of 9.
On that morning the 31st of October 2003 while surfing at Tunnels Beach in Kauai disaster struck. The tiger shark that attacked her was 14 foot long (4.3 meter), a true monster of a shark.
Her left arm was severed just below the shoulder.
“Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That’s what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.”
― Bethany Hamilton
Friends that were surfing with her helped her to shore. She was taken to hospital but when she arrived she had already lost 60% of her blood and was in hypovolemic shock.
Intrestingly she said that she did not feel much pain just after the attack.
The comeback!
Just 26 days after the attack she started surfing again, even entering a major surfing competition just about 2 months after the attack.
Initaily it was a struggle just to get through the surf, then get on the board and then standing on a wave with just one arm. But she presevered!
She went on to compete in many surfing competitions doing very well. In 2005 she won the NSSA National Championship and also finished as runner-up at the ASP World Junior Championship. Autored her first book called Soul Surfer: A true story of faith, family and fighting to get back on the board.
“I don’t need easy. I just need possible.”
― Bethany Hamilton
After the attack she appeared on many television shows. These include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Today Show, The Tonight Show, The Amazing Race,The Biggest Loser, 20/20, Goodmorning America, Inside Edition and many more.
She is married and has three sons.
“Life is full of what-ifs. You can’t let it hold you back.”
― Bethany Hamilton
Could you stand up if your life is crushed by your passion?
He was born in a neighbourhood engulfed by crime, drugs and gang violence. He grew up in his grandmothers 2 bedroom house with 14 other people sleeping on the floor.
He decided that NFL football would be his get out of jail card. He trained harder and was on the verge of making it big in NFL and becoming a multi-millionaire. Training alone in the dark after team practice ended was part of his regime.
His hard work, effort, determination, sacrifices were finally going to pay of and he was going to live his dream. But disaster struck.
The most important project you can work on is molding yourself into the person you want to become. — Inky Johnson
Then during his second game against Airforce Falcons he made a routine tackle. It turned into a life threatening injury. He nearly lost his life but did loose all function of his right arm. His dreams and life was destroyed in that one moment.
Will he give up?
Was giving up an option for Inky Johnson? Never. He survived in a crime ridden neighborhood, underprivileged past, poverty and violence.
In the face of defeat he will say “Am I really failing, or is God prevailing?”
Inky now has a masters degree in Sports Psychology, married and has two children. He is a very successful motivational speaker and is ranked number 41 in the world for the top 50 keynote speakers in the world 2020. In the top 50 he is in the company of people like Tony Robbins, Eric Thomas and Gary Vaynerchuck according to RealLeaders website.
The ability to learn is a gift even pain is our teacher! — Inky Johnson
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