한계를 넘어서는 삶 [TED 강연, 한글자막]

오늘보다 나은 내일
11 May 201709:49

Summary

TLDRThe speaker, born in Las Vegas, dreamt of a life of adventure and freedom, which she achieved as a massage therapist. A sudden illness led to her losing limbs and organs, but she didn't let this stop her. She embraced her new reality, innovated her own prosthetic legs, and returned to snowboarding. She co-founded a nonprofit to help others with disabilities and became a world champion snowboarder. Her story shows that our challenges can ignite our imaginations, enabling us to surpass our limits.

Takeaways

  • 🌍 The author's childhood dream was to travel the world and live in a place where it snowed.
  • 🏥 At 19, a sudden illness, bacterial meningitis, left her with a less than 2% chance of survival and resulted in the loss of her spleen, kidneys, hearing in one ear, and both legs below the knee.
  • 🦿 The initial prosthetics provided were painful and confining, making her question her ability to continue her adventurous lifestyle.
  • 💡 She reframed her situation by focusing on the newfound freedom and benefits of her prosthetics, such as the ability to adjust her height and not feeling cold feet while snowboarding.
  • 🏆 After a year of research and innovation, she created a pair of prosthetic legs that allowed her to snowboard again, marking a significant turning point in her life.
  • 🎓 In 2005, she co-founded a nonprofit organization to help youth and young adults with physical disabilities engage in action sports.
  • 🌐 She traveled to South Africa to provide shoes for children, enabling them to attend school.
  • 🏅 She became the highest-ranked adaptive female snowboarder in the world after winning back-to-back World Cup gold medals.
  • 💭 She emphasizes the power of imagination in overcoming obstacles and believes that challenges can be catalysts for creativity and innovation.
  • 🚀 Her story encourages viewing limitations not as barriers but as opportunities to ignite imagination and push boundaries, leading to personal growth and achievement.

Q & A

  • What was the speaker's dream growing up in Las Vegas?

    -The speaker dreamt of traveling the world and living in a place where it snowed.

  • How did the speaker achieve a sense of freedom early in life?

    -The speaker felt free for the first time when they moved to a place with snow after graduating high school and became a massage therapist, as the job required only their hands and a massage table.

  • What unexpected event drastically changed the speaker's life?

    -The speaker's life changed when they contracted bacterial meningitis, which led to a 2% chance of survival and multiple organ failures.

  • What significant losses did the speaker experience as a result of bacterial meningitis?

    -The speaker lost their spleen, kidneys, hearing in their left ear, and both legs below the knee due to bacterial meningitis.

  • How did the speaker initially react to seeing their new prosthetic legs?

    -The speaker was initially shocked and disappointed by the bulky and confining appearance of their new prosthetic legs.

  • What was the turning point for the speaker in accepting their new reality?

    -The turning point was when the speaker decided to let go of the old Amy and embrace the new Amy, focusing on the benefits of her new legs.

  • How did the speaker's perspective on her situation change after a period of reflection?

    -The speaker began to see her prosthetic legs as a tool for breaking through borders and enabling her to live beyond her limits.

  • What was the speaker's first significant achievement after her recovery?

    -The speaker's first significant achievement was snowboarding again four months after her recovery.

  • What innovative solution did the speaker develop to overcome her challenges in snowboarding?

    -The speaker and her leg maker created a custom pair of prosthetic feet using random parts, including rusted bolts, rubber, wood, and neon pink duct tape, to enable her to snowboard.

  • What impact has the speaker's experience had on her view of challenges and limitations?

    -The speaker views challenges and limitations as blessings and gifts that ignite the imagination and help individuals go further than they thought possible.

  • What message does the speaker want to convey to the audience about borders and innovation?

    -The speaker wants the audience to consider that innovation is possible because of borders, and instead of breaking them down, we should use them as a push-off point to explore new possibilities.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 A Life-Changing Question

The speaker reflects on a pivotal question that redirected her life's course: 'If your life were a book and you were the author, how would you want the story to go?' She grew up in Las Vegas, dreaming of freedom and adventure, which led her to become a massage therapist and move to a snowy region. However, her life took a dramatic turn when she contracted bacterial meningitis, resulting in the loss of her spleen, kidneys, hearing in one ear, and both legs below the knee. Despite the physical and emotional challenges of adapting to prosthetic legs, she chose to embrace her new life, finding unexpected benefits in her situation and reimagining her future.

05:05

🏆 Overcoming Obstacles Through Innovation

After a life-altering illness, the speaker was determined to regain her mobility and passion for snowboarding. She faced initial setbacks, including a fall that detached her prosthetic leg from her body while snowboarding. Undeterred, she embarked on a year of research to design a prosthetic that would enable her to snowboard again. With no existing solutions, she collaborated with her leg maker to create a custom set of prosthetic feet, which she adorned with personal touches. This innovation not only allowed her to return to snowboarding but also to co-found a nonprofit organization, helping others with physical disabilities engage in action sports. Her story culminated in winning back-to-back World Cup gold medals, becoming the highest-ranked adaptive female snowboarder. She concludes by encouraging the audience to view challenges as catalysts for imagination and innovation, arguing that it's our limitations that can propel us to achieve beyond our perceived capabilities.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Freedom

Freedom in the context of the video refers to the state of being unrestricted by external forces and having the liberty to make one's own choices. The author initially feels freedom when she moves to a place where it snows and becomes a massage therapist, which allows her to travel with just her hands and a massage table. This concept is central to the video's theme as it sets the stage for the author's journey of self-discovery and overcoming adversity.

💡Independence

Independence is the ability to be self-sufficient and not reliant on others. The video's author experiences this when she becomes a massage therapist, which requires only her hands and a massage table, symbolizing her control over her life. This keyword is pivotal as it contrasts with the helplessness she feels after her illness, highlighting the importance of autonomy in her personal narrative.

💡Bacterial Meningitis

Bacterial Meningitis is a serious blood infection that can be vaccine-preventable. In the video, the author contracts this life-threatening disease, which leads to the loss of her spleen, kidneys, hearing in one ear, and both legs below the knee. This keyword is crucial as it marks a turning point in the author's life, setting the stage for her subsequent challenges and triumphs.

💡Coma

A coma is a state of unconsciousness where a person is unresponsive to their environment. The author mentions being in a coma after being diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. This keyword is significant as it represents a period of extreme vulnerability and the beginning of her physical and emotional struggle.

💡Prosthetic Legs

Prosthetic legs are artificial limbs used to replace missing limbs. The author's new legs are described as bulky and confining, initially causing her to feel restricted and questioning her ability to travel and live adventurously. This concept is central to the video as it symbolizes the physical and emotional barriers she must overcome to regain her sense of self and freedom.

💡Imagination

Imagination is the ability to form images, ideas, or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. The author uses her imagination to envision a future where she can walk gracefully, help others, and snowboard again. This keyword is integral to the video's message, emphasizing the power of imagination in overcoming obstacles and creating new possibilities.

💡Obstacles

Obstacles are things that block one's way or prevent progress. In the video, the author's physical limitations post-illness are seen as obstacles. However, she learns to view them as catalysts for creativity and innovation, ultimately leading to personal growth and achievement. This keyword is essential to understanding the video's theme of turning challenges into opportunities.

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the introduction of new ideas, devices, or methods. The author's journey involves innovating her own prosthetic legs to enable snowboarding, which is a significant part of her story. This keyword is central to the video's message, illustrating how innovation can arise from personal challenges and limitations.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation is the process of adjusting to new conditions. The author's ability to adapt to her new physical reality by learning to use prosthetic legs and ultimately snowboard again is a testament to her resilience. This keyword is important as it highlights the human capacity to adjust and thrive despite significant changes or difficulties.

💡Nonprofit Organization

A nonprofit organization is a group that operates for purposes other than making a profit, often focusing on social or community needs. The author co-founds a nonprofit to help youth and young adults with physical disabilities engage in action sports. This keyword is significant as it demonstrates the author's commitment to using her experiences to empower others and create positive change.

💡World Cup Gold Medals

World Cup Gold Medals are awarded to the winners of events in the World Cup competitions. The author's achievement of winning two back-to-back gold medals signifies her success in snowboarding despite her physical challenges. This keyword is important as it underscores the video's message of overcoming limitations and achieving excellence.

Highlights

The transformative question: 'If your life were a book and you were the author, how would you want the story to go?'

Growing up in Las Vegas, dreaming of a life of freedom and travel.

Becoming a massage therapist at 19, achieving a sense of independence and control.

A sudden illness leads to a 2% chance of survival and life in a coma.

Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, a vaccine-preventable disease.

Loss of vital organs and both legs, leading to a life-changing recovery.

The emotional turmoil of seeing prosthetic legs for the first time.

The struggle with the reality of traveling and living an adventurous life with prosthetics.

The realization of the benefits of prosthetic legs, such as adjustable height and no cold feet.

The moment of self-reflection that sparked a new chapter in life.

Returning to snowboarding with determination and facing initial setbacks.

The decision to create custom prosthetics to overcome physical limitations.

The creation of a nonprofit to help youth with physical disabilities engage in action sports.

A trip to South Africa to provide shoes for children to attend school.

Winning back-to-back World Cup gold medals, becoming the highest-ranked adaptive female snowboarder.

The perspective that prosthetics haven't disabled but have enabled new possibilities.

The power of imagination as a tool for breaking through borders and limitations.

The challenge to view challenges and limitations as blessings that ignite imagination.

The importance of pushing off from borders to explore uncharted territories in life.

Transcripts

play00:12

if you're live for a book and you were

play00:17

the author how would you want your story

play00:20

to go that's the question that changed

play00:24

my life forever growing up in the hot

play00:28

Las Vegas desert all I wanted was to be

play00:32

free I would daydream about traveling

play00:36

the world living in a place where it

play00:38

snowed and I would picture all of the

play00:42

stories that I would go on to tell at

play00:46

the age of 19 the day after I graduated

play00:49

high school I moved to a place where it

play00:52

snowed and I became a massage therapist

play00:56

with this job all I needed were my hands

play00:59

and my massage table by my side and I

play01:02

could go anywhere for the first time in

play01:06

my life I felt free independence and

play01:11

completely in control of my life that is

play01:18

until my life took a detour I went home

play01:23

from work early one day with what I

play01:24

thought was the flu and less than 24

play01:28

hours later I was in the hospital on

play01:31

life support with less than a 2% chance

play01:35

of living

play01:36

it wasn't until days later as I lay in a

play01:40

coma that the doctors diagnosed me with

play01:44

bacterial meningitis a vaccine

play01:47

preventible blood infection over the

play01:52

course of two and a half months I lost

play01:54

my spleen my kidneys the hearing in my

play01:59

left ear and both of my legs below the

play02:02

knee when my parents will be out of the

play02:07

hospital I felt like I had been pieced

play02:09

back together like a patchwork doll

play02:13

I thought the worst was over until weeks

play02:17

later when I saw my new legs for the

play02:19

first time the calves were bulky blocks

play02:24

of metal with pipes bolted together for

play02:28

the ankles and a yellow rubber foot with

play02:32

the raised rubber line from the toe to

play02:34

the ankle to look like a vein I didn't

play02:39

know what to expect but I wasn't

play02:41

expecting that with my mom by my side

play02:46

and tears streaming down our faces I

play02:52

strapped on these chunky legs and I

play02:56

stood up they were so painful and so

play03:02

confining that all I could think was how

play03:06

am I ever going to travel the world in

play03:08

these things how was I ever going to

play03:11

live the life full of adventure and

play03:14

stories as I always wanted and how was I

play03:18

going to snowboard again that day I went

play03:23

home I crawled into bed and this is what

play03:26

my life looks like for the next few

play03:27

months me passed out escaping from

play03:32

reality with my legs resting by my side

play03:36

I was absolutely physically and

play03:41

emotionally broken but I knew that in

play03:48

order to move forward I had to let go of

play03:52

the old Amy and learn to embrace the new

play03:58

Amy and that is when it dawned on me

play04:03

that I didn't have to be 5 foot 5

play04:06

anymore I can be as tall as I wanted

play04:15

or as short as I wanted depending on who

play04:19

I was dating and if I snowboard again my

play04:25

feet aren't going to get cold and thus

play04:29

the ball I thought I can make my feet

play04:32

the size of all the shoes that are on

play04:34

the sales rack and I did so there were

play04:39

benefits here it was this moment that I

play04:42

asked myself that life's defining

play04:45

question if my life were a book and I

play04:50

was an author how would I want this

play04:53

story to go and I begin to daydream i

play04:57

daydream like I did as a little girl and

play04:59

I imagine myself walking gracefully

play05:05

helping other people through my journey

play05:07

and snowboarding again and I didn't just

play05:11

see myself carving down a mountain of

play05:14

powder I could actually feel it I could

play05:18

feel the wind against my face and the

play05:21

beat of my racing heart as if it were

play05:25

happening and that very moment and that

play05:29

is when a new chapter in my life began

play05:34

four months later I was back up on a

play05:37

snowboard although things going to go

play05:39

quite as expected my knees and my ankles

play05:42

when it been and at one point I

play05:45

traumatized all the skiers on the

play05:48

chairlift when I I fell and my leg still

play05:53

attached to my snowboard

play05:58

with flying down the mountain and I was

play06:03

on top of the mountain still I was so

play06:06

shocked I was just as shocked as

play06:07

everybody else and I was so discouraged

play06:10

but I knew that if I could find the

play06:13

right pair of feet that I would be able

play06:15

to do this again and this is what I

play06:17

learned that our borders and our

play06:20

obstacles can only do two things one

play06:24

stop us in our tracks or to force us to

play06:29

get creative I did a year research still

play06:33

kind of figure out what kind of legs to

play06:34

use couldn't find any resources that

play06:36

could help me so I decided to make a

play06:38

pair myself my leg maker and I put

play06:42

random parts together and we made a pair

play06:44

of feet that I could snowboard in as you

play06:47

can see rusted bolts rubber wood and

play06:52

neon pink duct tape and yes I can change

play06:57

my toenail polish it was these legs and

play07:01

the best 21st birthday gift I could ever

play07:04

receive a new kidney from my dad that

play07:07

allowed me to follow my dreams again I

play07:10

started snowboarding then I went back to

play07:13

work then I went back to school then in

play07:15

2005 I co-founded a nonprofit

play07:17

organization for youth and young adults

play07:19

with physical disabilities so they could

play07:21

get involved with action sports from

play07:25

there I had the opportunity to go to

play07:26

South Africa where I helped to put shoes

play07:29

on thousands of children's feet so they

play07:31

could attend school and just this past

play07:34

February I won two back-to-back World

play07:38

Cup gold medals

play07:49

which made me the highest-ranked

play07:52

adaptive female snowboarder in the world

play07:55

11 years ago when I lost my leg I had no

play08:00

idea what to expect but if you asked me

play08:03

today if I would ever want to change my

play08:05

situation I would have to say no because

play08:09

my legs haven't disabled me if anything

play08:11

Dave enabled me they forced me to rely

play08:15

on my imagination and to believe in the

play08:18

possibilities and that's why I believe

play08:21

that our imaginations can be used as

play08:23

tools for breaking through borders

play08:26

because in our minds we can do anything

play08:29

and we can be anything it's believing in

play08:33

those dreams and facing our fears

play08:35

head-on that allows us to live our lives

play08:39

beyond our limits and although today is

play08:43

about innovation Without Borders I have

play08:46

to say that in my life

play08:49

innovation has only been possible

play08:50

because of my borders I've learned that

play08:55

borders are where the actual end but

play08:59

also where the imagination and the story

play09:02

begins

play09:04

so the thought that I would like to

play09:06

challenge you with today is that maybe

play09:08

instead of looking at our challenges and

play09:10

our limitations as something negative or

play09:13

bad we can begin to look at them as

play09:16

blessings magnificent gift that can be

play09:20

used to ignite our imaginations and help

play09:24

us go further than we ever knew we could

play09:26

go it's not about breaking down borders

play09:32

it's about pushing off of them and

play09:36

seeing what amazing places they might

play09:39

bring us thank you

play09:42

[Music]

play09:46

you

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Related Tags
ResilienceInspirationAdaptabilitySnowboardingHealth CrisisInnovationDisabilityAdventureSelf-EmpowermentNonprofit