3 Life Changing Stories That Will Inspire You To Live Beyond Limits | Goalcast Inspirational Speech

Summary

نص النص الvided يحكي قصة عدة أشخاص يواجهون تحديات كبيرة في حياتهم بسبب الأمراض أو الإصابات، لكنهم ي克服 هذه العقبات و يصبحون أقوى. يحكي النص عن القوة النفسية والعقلية التي تدفعهم للاستمرار والنجاح في الحياة، وكيف أن التغيير والتحديات هي القوة التي تدفعنا للتفكير الإبداعي وتحقيق أحلامنا.

Takeaways

• 😷 الصراع مع المرض: النص يحكي عن مكافحة الأمراض الخطيرة وتأثيرها على الشخص الشخصي، بما في ذلك الإصابة بالنوبة والفقدان من أجزاء من الجسم.
• 🏥 العمليات الطبية: يتضمن النص عن العمليات الطبية التي أجراها المرضى لعلاج الأمراض، مثل فقدان الكبد والسمع وقطع الساقين.
• 🔧 الاعتماد على التكنولوجيا: يظهر النص كيف يعتمد الأفراد على التكنولوجيا الطبية للعيش وللبقاء، مثل الأرجح والأجهزة المساعدة.
• 💪 القوة العاطفية: يظهر النص القوة العاطفية للأفراد وكيف يواجهون التحديات ويتحدون العقبات.
• 🤔 التأمل الذاتي: يناقش النص كيف يفكر الأفراد في التغيير في حياتهم وكيف يختارون القوة والإيجابية.
• 🎯 الرؤية الشخصية: يتضمن النص كيف يصور الأفراد رؤيتهم الشخصية وكيف يستخدمون تلك الرؤية لتحقيق أحلامهم.
• 🛹 إعادة ال的定义: يظهر النص كيف يغير الأفراد التعريف بأنفسهم بعد الإصابة، وكيف يبنيون هويات جديدة مبنية على القدرة على التحدي.
• 🏆 النجاح الشخصي: يتضمن النص قصص نجاة من الأفراد الذين أصبحوا أبطال في حياتهم بعد الإصابة، مثل الفوز في الألعاب الأولمبية الparalympic.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 الدعم العائلة: يظهر النص الدعم ال_FAMILY الذي يوفره العائلة للأشخاص الذين يكافحون مع الأمراض وكيف يساعد على ال復.
• 🤝 العلاقات الإنسانية: يتضمن النص العلاقات الإنسانية التي تتكون بين المرضى في المستشفيات، وكيف يساعدون بعضهم البعض على التحدي.
• 🌟 الإمagination كأداة: يشدد النص على الأهمية من الإمagination في تخطي الحدود وتحقيق الأهداف، وكيف يمكنها أن تغير حياتنا.

Q & A

ما هي الحالة الطبية التي تعاني منها الشخص في النص؟

الشخص يعاني من مرض ميڭينوكوكال ميڭيتيس، وهو عدوى دم يمكن منع تلقي لقاح له.

ما هي الاحتمالات التي أعطيت الأطباء للشخص في النص للبقاء في الحياة؟

الأطباء أعطيت للشخص أقل من 2% من فرصة البقاء في الحياة.

ما هي الخسائر التي واجهتها الشخص بسبب المرض؟

الشخص خسر الكبد، وظائف الكلى، وسمع يساره، وخسر قدميه تحت الركبتين بسبب الصدمة ال septic.

كيف كان الشخص يشعر عندما رأى قدميه الجديدة لأول مرة؟

الشخص شعر بالضعف الجسدي والعاطفي، واعتقد أن ال prosthetics كانت خشنة وغير واقعية.

ما هي الفكرة التي فرغت الشخص من خلالها أن يتمكن من الاستمرار في الحياة؟

الشخص فكر في أنه يمكن أن يصبح أطول أو أقصر حسب رغبته باستخدام ال prosthetics، مما أدى إلى تغيير في نظرته على الوضع.

ما هي الرؤية التي كان يشاهدها الشخص عندما كان يحاول تخيل كيف يمكن أن يستمر في الحياة؟

الشخص يشاهد نفسه يمشي ب優雅 ويساعد الآخرين وينزل على الجليد مجددًا.

كيف تمكن الشخص من العودة إلى الجليد بعد خسارة قدميه؟

الشخص قام بصنع prosthetic الخاصة به自行并通过很多的想象力 والعمل الجاد لجعلها تعمل بشكل جيد.

ما هي الميدالية التي فاز بها الشخص في التزلج الparalympic؟

الشخص أصبح أول امرأة تفوز بميدالية برونزية في التزلج الparalympic.

ما هي الرسالة الأساسية التي يحاول الشخص في النص أن ينقلها إلى الآخرين؟

الرسالة الأساسية هي أن التغيير والتحديات هي التي يدفعنا للتفكير بطريقة جديدة وللعمل بإبداع.

كيف تغيرت حياة الشخص الذي يتحدث عن الحمل والولادة في النص؟

الشخص واجهت بفقدان جميع أطرافه بعد تعرضه لتفجير، لكنه واصلت على العيش والحب والدعم من العائلة.

ما هي التجربة التي واجهتها الشخص التي تتحدث عن ال'accident' الدراجسي؟

الشخص تعرضت ل'accident' سيارة حاد وخسارت في الaccident، مما أدى إلى تلقيها الرعاية الطبية اللازمة والعودة إلى العيش بشكل كامل.

Outlines

00:00

😷 Struggle Against Meningitis

The first paragraph narrates the harrowing experience of a young adult who suddenly falls victim to severe meningitis. The individual describes the rapid onset of symptoms, including a racing heart, weakness, and discoloration of extremities, leading to a realization of life-threatening danger. The person is diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis, a vaccine-preventable blood infection, and faces a dire prognosis with less than a 2% chance of survival. The aftermath includes the loss of limbs and organs, a life-altering transition from independence to reliance on medical support. The individual's journey includes a period of adjustment to prosthetic legs, initially perceived as unsightly and cumbersome, but eventually embraced as a symbol of resilience and a catalyst for personal growth.

05:01

🏆 Overcoming Adversity to Achieve Dreams

The second paragraph tells the story of a determined individual who, after suffering the loss of limbs, finds motivation in family and a supportive community. The person learns to adapt and overcome physical limitations, eventually creating a pair of prosthetic legs that enable them to return to a passion for snowboarding. The narrative highlights the individual's journey to becoming the first female to win a bronze medal in paralympic snowboarding, symbolizing the power of creativity and determination in the face of adversity. The story also touches on the importance of imagination and the belief in one's dreams as tools for transcending life's challenges.

10:02

🤕 The Quadruple Amputee's Journey to Resilience

The third paragraph recounts the experience of a serviceman who becomes a quadruple amputee after stepping on a bomb during a deployment. The individual faces a grueling recovery, including multiple amputations and the emotional toll of adjusting to a drastically altered life. Despite the immense challenges, the person finds strength in family, a supportive community at Walter Reed, and the determination to regain independence. The narrative emphasizes the importance of not dwelling on the past and maintaining a positive attitude, as well as the power of human spirit and will to overcome physical limitations.

15:04

🛫 From Paralysis to Pilot: A Story of Transformation

The fourth paragraph describes the inspiring journey of an athlete who becomes paralyzed after a severe accident. Despite the prognosis of a life confined to a wheelchair and a future devoid of her previous athletic identity, the individual finds a new dream in becoming a pilot. Through relentless determination and the support of loved ones, she overcomes physical limitations, learns to walk again, and eventually earns various pilot licenses, including an instructor rating. The story illustrates the power of letting go of past identities to embrace new possibilities and the resilience of the human spirit.

20:05

🚀 Embracing the Unstoppable Spirit

The final paragraph emphasizes the indomitable nature of the human spirit, using the metaphor of building a better world by first improving oneself. The speaker reflects on the idea that while physical attributes can be lost, the spirit remains unyielding. The narrative encourages embracing courage in the face of fear and defying limitations to achieve greatness. It suggests that personal growth and self-improvement are the keys to overcoming challenges and creating a positive impact on the world.

Keywords

💡الموت

الموت هو موضوع رئيسي في النص، حيث يشعر الشخص بوجوده وأنه على وشك الموت بسبب الأمراض الخطيرة. يستخدم النص الكلمات 'أنا ميت'، مما يشير إلى حالة الشخص وشعوره بالخطر والضعف في البداية.

💡المستشفى

المستشفى هو المكان الذي يحتاج الشخص الذهاب إليه في حال الإصابة، حيث يبدو أنه المكان الوحيد الذي يمكن أن يوفر المساعدة الطبية اللازمة. يشير النص إلى الشعور بالضرورة والقلق على الانتقال إلى المستشفى ل接受医治.

💡المنغيث

المنغيث هو نوع من العدوى التي تصيب الشخص في النص. يُعرف بـ 'منقيث الدماغ' ويسبب فيروس يمكن أن يؤدي إلى الموت إذا لم يتم المعالجة في وقت مبكر.

💡الضعف

الضعف هو مشاعر مشتركة في النص، حيث يشعر الشخص بالضعف بسبب المرض. يُستخدم النص لوصف الشعور الذي يعاني منه الشخص، وكيف أدى إلى تلقي التشخيص وتأثير ذلك على حياته.

💡ال截肢

ال截肢 هي العملية التي تتم على الشخص في النص بسبب الإصابة. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف أدى المرض إلى فقدان الشخص من قدميه وأجزاء أخرى من جسمه.

💡التغيير

التغيير هو موضوع رئيسي في النص، حيث يواجه الشخص تغييرًا جذريًا في حياته بسبب الإصابة. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف أصبح الشخص يعتمد على التكنولوجيا والأدوية لمتابعة حياة جديدة.

💡الشجاعة

الشجاعة هي القوة العاطفية التي يظهرها الشخص في النص، حيث يكافح من أجل إعادة العيش وتحقيق أحلامه. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف تمكن الشخص من التغلب على العقبات وتحقيق النجاح.

💡التصور

التصور هو القوة التي يستخدمها الشخص في النص لتغيير حياته، حيث يصور لنفسه في أماكن مختلفة وتحقيق أحلامه. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف أدى التصور إلى تغيير في الشخص وتحقيق أحلامه.

💡التحديات

التحديات هي العقبات التي يواجهها الشخص في النص، حيث يكافح من أجل التغلب عليها وتحقيق أحلامه. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف تمكن الشخص من التغلب على التحديات وتحقيق النجاح.

💡الحرية

الحرية هي الشعور الذي يشعر به الشخص في النص بعد التغلب على العقبات. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف أصبح الشخص يشعر بالحرية بعد التغلب على المشاكل وتحقيق النجاح.

💡الروح

الروح هي القوة العاطفية التي يعتمد عليها الشخص في النص، حيث تظهر قوة الشخص في التغلب على المشاكل. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف كانت الروح هي القوة الرئيسية التي ساهمت في تغلب الشخص على المشاكل.

💡العائلة

العائلة هي الدعم الذي يشعر به الشخص في النص، حيث تظهر الدعم الذي يوفره العائلة لشخصه. يُستخدم النص لوصف كيف ساهم الدعم العائلة في تغلب الشخص على المشاكل.

Highlights

A person realized they were dying due to a rapid heartbeat, shaking, weakness, and discoloration of extremities, leading to a diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis.

The individual was given a less than 2% chance of survival and was immediately placed on life support.

Despite the uncertain origin of the infection, the bacteria caused severe complications, including the loss of spleen, kidney function, hearing in one ear, and both legs below the knees.

The person's life changed drastically, transitioning from a carefree 19-year-old to reliance on medical support and prosthetics.

The initial shock of seeing their new prosthetic legs, described as bulky and unattractive, caused emotional distress.

A turning point occurred when the person decided to embrace their new identity, using their imagination to envision a better future.

The individual became the first female to win a bronze medal in paralympic snowboarding, overcoming their disability.

A new kidney from the person's father and a customized prosthetic allowed them to continue pursuing their dreams.

The power of imagination and creativity is emphasized as a tool for overcoming life's challenges.

A man lost his limbs as a quadruple amputee due to a bomb explosion while on deployment in Afghanistan.

Despite the life-altering injury, the man's wife chose to stay with him, providing emotional support during recovery.

The man found motivation in his family and the camaraderie of fellow wounded soldiers at Walter Reed.

He learned to walk again with determination and the support of others, taking his first steps after seven weeks of recovery.

The man's story of resilience led to him being known as the 'Mayor of Building 62' at Walter Reed and being featured in a documentary.

A woman was severely injured in a bike accident, breaking her neck and back, and becoming paralyzed from the waist down.

After a long recovery and a shift in perspective, the woman decided to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot despite her physical limitations.

She defied expectations by earning multiple pilot licenses and eventually teaching others to fly, proving the strength of the human spirit.

The importance of not dwelling on the past and maintaining a positive attitude despite adversity is highlighted.

The message concludes with the idea that our spirit is what defines us, not our physical bodies, and that courage in the face of fear is key to overcoming obstacles.

Transcripts

i'm dying

i'm dying i know i am i have to get to

the hospital right now

i started to realize that there was

something really really wrong my

heart was beating out of my chest i was

so shaky i was so

weak and i realized that i couldn't feel

my feet

when i glanced to the floor i saw that

my feet

were purple and when i glanced at my

hands i saw that my hands were purple

and when i looked at my reflection in

the mirror i saw that my nose my chin

and my cheeks were purple as well i was

dying

and i knew it i immediately began to

panic my heart was beating out of my

chest i was seeing tunnel vision i was

sicker

than i could ever explain as i lay in a

coma that the doctors diagnosed me

with something called meningococcal

meningitis which is a

vaccine-preventable blood infection

i was given less than a two percent

chance of living and immediately put on

life support

we have no idea how i got it so for all

i know somebody could have sneezed on me

when i was in the elevator at work and

maybe that's how i got it but due to

this little

microscopic bacteria over the course of

two and a half months

i ended up losing my spleen i left my i

lost my kidney function

i lost the hearing of my left ear and

due to the septic shock that my body

went into i ended up losing

both of my legs below the knees

my life changed like that

i went from being a normal 19 year old

without a care in the world

to now relying on machines mechanics and

medical innovation in order to live

in order to even survive and i thought

the worst was over that is

until i saw my new legs for the very

first time

they were these bulky blocks of metal

with pipes

bolted together for the ankles i don't

know who designed these feet you know

they try to make them look real but

they look like they were straight out of

the plumbing department of home depot

they were hideous and with my mom by my

side and just tears

streaming down our faces i strapped on

these chunky legs

and i stood up i was absolutely

physically

and emotionally broken the thought

of living the rest of my life with these

hunks of hardware as my legs

was depressing and overwhelming

and little did i know at that time that

my biggest loss my legs

would eventually become my biggest asset

but i think as soon as i got so sick and

tired

of being sick and tired i knew that in

order to move forward with my life

i had to somehow learn how to let go of

the old amy

and somehow learn to embrace the new amy

and that is when it dawned on me that

the old amy

i don't know was maybe five foot five

but the new amy

she could be six foot tall i could be

as tall as i wanted or i could be as

short as i wanted depending on who i was

dating

at the time it was times like these

that first prompted me to ask myself

if my life were a book and i

was the author of that book how would i

want

this story to go i saw myself

walking gracefully and i saw myself

somehow

helping other people through my journey

and i saw myself

snowboarding again and i didn't just see

myself carving down

this mountain of powder i visualized it

so strongly

that i could actually feel it i could

feel

the wind against my face and the beat

of my racing heart as if it was

happening

in that very moment and that passion and

that fire that i felt inside

that is when a new chapter of my life

began i was back up on a snowboard four

months after losing my legs

although things didn't go quite as

expected

i hit this bump completely out of

control and i fell and my

goggles went one way and my beanie went

the other way and my legs

still attached to my snowboard went

flying

down the mountain and meanwhile

i was still sitting up on top of the

mountain um

completely embarrassed i wasn't

expecting that at all and actually i

heard a lady scream from the chairlift

which i'm sure she racked up years of

therapy bills

anyways i remember i was just so

discouraged you know and i could have

easily thought well this is impossible i

obviously can't snowboard with two

prosthetic legs

but i thought if i could figure out a

way

to get my legs to move in the way

that i needed them to and if i could

figure out a way to keep these

detachable body parts

attached to my body then i would be able

to do this again

and that's when i learned that the

obstacles and the challenges in our

lives can only do two things

one stop us dead in our tracks or two

force us to get creative so i decided to

make a pair

myself my leg maker and i we put random

parts together

and we made a pair of feet that i could

snowboard in and believe it or not

these babies actually worked like a

charm but it was these legs and the best

21st birthday gift that i could ever

receive

a new kidney from my dad that allowed me

to follow my dreams and a snowboard

again

and then i went on to be the first ever

female to win a bronze medal in

paralympic snowboarding

[Music]

thank you i've learned it's that change

and it's that challenge that forces us

to figure out

what we're really made of it makes us

dig deep

it makes us find our fire and it makes

us get

creative because that's the only way to

reach beyond the reality

of this current moment is by accepting

what is

but most importantly daydreaming of what

could be

if you ask me today if i would ever want

to change my situation

i would tell you guys no

because my legs haven't disabled me if

anything they

enabled me they forced me to rely on my

imagination

and to believe in the possibilities and

that's why i believe that our

imaginations are

huge tools for breaking through all the

borders in our lives because in our

minds

we can do anything and we can be

anything it's believing in our dreams

and facing our fears head on that allows

us to live our lives beyond

our limits

when i walked out here i got to be

honest i was pretty nervous

i hope i didn't you know bomb this

you know cause last time what happened

so on the screen you were gonna see my

best friend my wife kelsey

she winds up uh telling me with

excitement and fear that she's pregnant

nine months go by and my daughter's born

and the reason i know

that my wife is the best in the world is

because when i looked at my wife

and i said what do you want to name her

you think madison or avery she looked at

me and said no

we have to name chloe lynn don't we i

said we don't have to do that why would

you even think that

and she said because you idiot you

already got your ex-girlfriend's name

tattooed on your arm

yeah so we named her after my

ex-girlfriend

it's not true it's not true

no my ex-girlfriend's the devil but it's

a

so everything's going my way i'm coming

up my third deployment

i gotta go over to afghanistan for my

third time start putting our stuff on

like normal

as we're going over what we're gonna do

we're strapping our gear on we go out

with the minesweeper we start sweeping

the ground

back and forth back and forth nothing

alarms this is anything there i take my

backpack off and i set it on the ground

it hits the ground and underneath it is

a bomb and takes my right arm right leg

automatically

they rushed me into surgery right we're

going to fast forward into surgery here

and they cut my left leg off because

it's already gone

and then two days later they have to cut

my left arm off because the skin is

necrotized so i'm a quadruple amputee

three days later i arrived at walter

reed in bethesda maryland

my wife came up to me right and i saw

her when i finally got a chance to talk

to her i said kelsey you don't have to

do this

take the house take the cars take

whatever money we have saved up and go

this is not the life i would choose for

you and she thought about it she said

you know

i was thinking that yeah

yeah and then she came around and she

said you know what handicap parking

sounds enticing

i'm i'm gonna stay

[Music]

but if you can imagine she actually at

23 and i'm 25 and our daughter six

months old said you know what

i'm gonna be here we're gonna get

through this together so i'm at walter

reed

and i'm trying to recover i had to find

motivation but i find motivation to my

wife and my daughter

and all of a sudden there's a

brotherhood at walter reed a robot

walked into my room

and first thing out of this guy's mouth

was hey man welcome to the club

i said i want to be in your club he said

kind of late now don't you think

he said oh you got me there his name was

todd nicely he showed me

that with hard work and determination i

could walk again

and two things went off number one this

guy's showing me the way that i can get

better i can still be there for my

family

and number two he's a marine and if a

marine can do it without dumb they are

you know so the things i wanted to

accomplish i want to be able to feed

myself again

i want to be able to pick a fork up and

put food in my mouth you see i couldn't

do that for five weeks at five weeks i

was out of my recovery stage enough

where i was healed up and i could grab a

fork i also was tired of sitting in a

wheelchair i thought you know what i

wanna be able to walk again

so seven weeks and four days into my

recovery i took my very first steps at

walter reed it was very painful it was

not easy

and as i was walking around the track

they said you'll walk one lap today and

i went ahead and walked three laps that

day

and when i got done i sat down took a

breather and realized this could be

something that i do

now the next thing ladies and gentlemen

is my hand this thing's the coolest

thing in the world on the screen

you're gonna see the most important hand

that i own right there it's not the one

i'm wearing

no that one that one's called a grifer

that hand is in a crown royal bag

on the top shelf of my closet yeah and

nobody touches that hand because that

hand closes 25 pounds of pressure

you see my daughter is seven years old

yeah in nine years johnny's gonna come

knocking at the door and he's gonna be

like

hey bro like just bro me johnny

that's 25 pounds of pressure he's like

oh dude that hurts johnny there's no

strike two and three this is two and

three right here

crunch i break his hand i know sad he's

like let me go

let me go i pulled johnny close i don't

let him go

no i say johnny guess what i don't know

what

no fingerprints johnny

remember that johnny

when i got blown up and i was down and

out i was wondering why did this happen

i was embarrassed i was angry i was

questioning am i a bad person

does god hate me and the biggest

question i honestly had ladies and

gentlemen was why didn't i just die

why did i live through this and i found

the answer in my family

and i found the answer in todd nicely

that corporal that came to see me that

was retired from the marine corps

that told me i would be fine so i

decided i was going to talk to everybody

i could that was at that hospital

and at walter reed amputees are what you

normally see and me missing all four

limbs that was the worst you're gonna

see

so i'd go room to room and i'd say hey

i'm travis you're gonna be fine

same message todd gave me from that

experience some people found out i did

that i became known as the mayor of

building 62

and they made a documentary on me i

don't think my problems outweigh anybody

else's

i am fortunate to live in a nation where

i can wake up in the morning with no

arms no legs

strap my legs on right throw my arm on

go in the elevator and go out and live

life to the fullest take my wife

and my daughter wherever we want to go

the two life lessons that i have learned

that i want you to go and pass along to

everybody that you meet

is number one don't dwell on the past

i learned that because when i was

sitting in my hospital bed closing my

eyes and wishing that this did not

happen

i realized you're not going to change

the past

i can't change what happened yesterday

and i can't change what happened six

years ago in afghanistan

so i reminisce to 25 great years i had

with legs and arms

and i've had six pretty great years

without one

but with that experience and so many

more

you can't always control your situation

but i can always control my attitude

i lived in death for ten days i was on a

training bike ride with my fellow

teammates

headed for the 1988 winter olympics in

calgary

as we made our way up to the beautiful

blue mountains west of sydney it was the

perfect autumn day

we'd been on our bikes for around five

and a half hours when we got to the part

of the ride that i loved and that was

the hills because i loved the hills

i looked up to see the sun shining in my

face

and then everything went black where was

i

what was happening my body was consumed

by pain

i'd been hit by a speeding truck with

only 10 minutes to go on the bike ride

i was airlifted from the scene of the

accident i'd broken my neck and my back

in six places my whole right side was

ripped open and filled with gravel

my head was cut open across the front

lifted back exposing the skull

underneath

i had head injuries i had internal

injuries and i had massive blood loss

for ten days i drifted between two

dimensions

i was in the fight of my life after ten

days

i made the choice to return to my body

and when i did the massive internal

bleeding miraculously stopped

the next question was whether i would

walk again

because i was paralyzed from the waist

down i woke up

in intensive care to the news that the

operation had been a success

because at that point i had a little bit

of movement in one of my big toes

and i thought great because i'm going to

the olympics

but then the doctor came over and said

to me matter of factly

janine the operation was a success

but the damage is permanent the central

nervous system nerves and there is no

cure

so although we think you may get some

feeling back from the waist down

you will have internal injuries for the

rest of your life

you will have to use a catheter and if

you walk again

it will be with calipers and a walking

frame you're going to have to rethink

everything you do in your life because

you are never going to be able to do the

things you did before

i was an athlete my body was everything

if i

couldn't do that if i wasn't that then

who was i

after almost six months it was time to

leave the spinal ward

i was in a wheelchair and a plaster body

cast

all i wanted to do was to go home and

get my life back and learn how to walk

but the head nurse at the hospital said

janine i want you to be ready because

when you get home something's going to

happen

she said you're going to get depressed i

said not me not janine the machine

she said it happens to everybody i was

in a wheelchair

a plaster body cast attached to a

catheter bottle

i had no feeling from the waist down i

wanted my life back

i wanted to put my running shoes on and

run out the door

but i couldn't and i got depressed

there were days when i didn't want to

get out of bed and days when i didn't

get out of bed and i can remember my mum

sitting on the bed and

we were both crying and she said i

wonder if life will ever be good again

and i thought how could it

because i've lost everything that i've

valued at home

sitting outside in my plaster body cast

an airplane flew over my house

and in that moment my eyes and my mind

were open

i stopped asking why me

and i began to ask why not me

and i looked up and i thought well

that's it

if i can't walk then i might as well fly

so weeks later my mom and my friend

chris they bought me a pair of baggy

overalls and they drove me to the local

airport bankstown airport and they

carried me in

and i held onto the counter because i

couldn't even stand on my own i said i'm

here for my flying lesson

and they ran out the back to draw short

straws oh my god

and this guy came out andrew he said hi

i'm gonna take you flying i said great

so they put me in the car and they drove

me down to the tarmac and there on the

tarmac

was a red white and blue airplane i had

never seen anything so beautiful before

they lifted me up into the aircraft they

put me in the front seat

they did my seatbelt up he got a

clearance from the tower

and he took off down the runway and as

the wheels lifted off the runway i felt

the most incredible sense of freedom

and then as we flew over the training

area at bankstown airport

andrew said to me he said right you see

those mountains over there

and i said yes as i looked towards the

blue mountains west of sydney

where my journey had begun and he said

you take the controls and you head

towards those mountains

and i did and i was flying

and i knew right then that i was going

to be a pilot

i didn't know how to they'd ever pass a

medical

but that didn't matter because i had a

dream and

nothing was going to stop me

all i could do in the beginning was lie

on the ground and lift my legs

this far maybe an inch but it was better

than nothing

and i practiced my walking as much as i

could and i went from the point of two

people holding me up

to one person holding me up to the point

where i could walk around

the house holding onto the furniture as

long as it wasn't too far apart

so while the doctors continued to put my

body back together again

i went on with my theory study and then

amazingly

eventually i passed my pilot's medical

and i had my bag of medication and

catheters and my funny walk and they

would look at me and think who is she

kidding

she's never going to be able to do this

and sometimes i thought that too

that there was something inside of me

that was burning so bright that said

don't stop

and eventually i learned to fly i went

for my first solo

and i got my private pilot's license and

then

i learned to navigate i flew around

australia and i got my

unrestricted private pilot's licence and

then

i learned to fly in bad weather as well

as fine weather and i got my instrument

rating

and then i got my commercial pilot's

license

and then i got my instructor rating and

then

i found myself at that same school where

i'd gone for that very first flight

teaching other people how to fly

in just over 12 months after i'd left

the spinal ward

i wasn't meant to live i wasn't meant to

walk

and i wasn't meant to fly our bodies

may be limited but it's our spirit

that's unstoppable

i now know that it wasn't till i let go

of who i thought i was

that i had the freedom to create

something completely new for my life

it wasn't i let go of the life i thought

i was supposed to have that i'd worked

so hard for

that i was able to embrace the

possibilities

that waited for me i now know that my

real strength

never came from my body unlike anything

you can lose in life

the defiant human spirit

remains steadfast and of this i'm

certain

i am not my body and you

my dear friends are not yours

when you choose courage in the face of

fear

you defy the things that hold you back

from greatness

it's a daunting task and you might well

ask where do i begin where do i start

well perhaps the simple words of this

poem might offer a clue

he said to build a better world i said i

would but how

the world is such a cold dark place and

complicated now

for i am small and helpless there's

nothing i can do

he said of course there is just build

a better you

[Music]

you