When Nick Vujicic was ten years old, he filled a bathtub with water and tried his hardest to drown himself . . .
It is one of the few things in his remarkable life that he has ever failed at.
That Nick didn’t succeed in his ill-fated suicide attempt is something that we couldn’t be more grateful for. When we say that the world would be a poorer place without him in it, we’re not exaggerating.
Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes, but there’s not much out there that motivates us more than a man who is using the problems that he has encountered in his life to guide, help and encourage others to overcome their own troubles.
Nick puts things into perspective. Given that he has achieved so much – despite having been born without limbs – tends to make those he encounters take a fresh look at their problems. For those he meets, the experience tends to be life changing.
That Nick has dedicated his life to helping others – he travels the world giving talks to children, young people and adults – sums up all that he’s about. He has made a motivational DVD that is titled No arms, no legs, no worries. In all that he does, he has a smile on his face.
It hasn’t always been the case . . .
‘When I was eight years old,’ he explains, ‘I looked at my life and I thought ‘I’m never going to get married; I’m never going to have a job; I’m never going to have a life of purpose’. What kind of husband could I [ever hope to] be, when I couldn’t even hold my wife’s hand?’
Not long after thinking such thoughts, Nick, his torment both obvious and understandable, began to fill the bathtub. That he couldn’t go through with it was, in a large part, down to the impact that he realized his death would have on those he loved. Having found himself in such a dark place, Nick began to rethink his existence and give his life the purpose he craved.
‘I read a newspaper article about a disabled man who had managed to achieve great things and help others,’ he recalls. ‘I realized why God had made us like this – to give hope to others. It was so inspirational to me that I decided to use my life to encourage people, to give them the courage that the article had given me. I decided to be thankful for what I had and not to get angry about what I didn’t have. What’s the point of being complete on the outside when you’re broken on the inside? What’s the point of holding your wife’s hand when you can’t hold her heart?’
There’s so much that we could write about Nick, but none of it could ever compare to the man himself. That in mind, we’d like you to watch this short film. It tells you everything you need to know . . .
https://youtu.be/ciYk-UwqFKA
There’s little that we can add to that other than to highlight just how many lives Nick has touched and how many people he has helped . . .
People like the 16-year-old from Sweden who had been contemplating suicide until he heard Nick speak. People like Jeremiah, who was badly injured in a car accident. People like Daria, who wrote on Nick’s website, ‘After watching your video, I want to do what you do. I want to tell people that life is worth living. I want to tell people they are good enough. I want to tell girls [that] they are all beautiful. To tell them that there are people who care’.
That Nick has made such a profound impact on these people (and on innumerable others too) makes him a hero of ours. This is a man who has learnt to connect with people like no-one else we’ve ever encountered. Someone who understands and inspires others like no-one else. Someone who oozes humanity.
‘I tell people to keep getting up when they fall and to always love themselves,’ he adds. ‘It’s a lie to think you’re not good enough. It’s a lie to think you’re not worth anything. If I can encourage just one person, then my job in this life is done.’
That Nick – who, incidentally, got married last year and, in recent times, became a father – has succeeded in his job is beyond question.
He has inspired us all, here at OM®, just as he has inspired countless others the Earth over. He might not have arms, but he can hold our hearts. He has shown us that it is possible to help those in need to overcome their problems and change their lives. He has demonstrated that nothing is beyond our capabilities.
Here in our studio in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, we’d like to thank Nick for giving our own efforts fresh impetus. For setting an example and encouraging us to continue in our own quest . . .