Nick Vujicic

"At my delivery on December 4, 1982, my mother could not see me at first, and the first question she asked the doctor was 'Is the baby all right?' There was silence. .'What is it? What's wrong with my baby?' she demanded. . 'Actually,' the pediatrician said as sensitively as possible, 'your son has neither arms nor legs.' My father went weak with shock and anguish. . My mum just couldn't bear what she was seeing: her child without limbs. 'Take him away,' she said. 'I don't want to touch him or see him'" (Vujicic 4-5).  This is how Nick Vujicic's story began, rejected by his own parents.  Nick Vujicic, son to Dushka and Borris Vujicic, was born with Tetra-Amelia, a life-altering genetic disorder.  After the shock of Vujicic's birth, his parents learned to love and accept him, along with his disabilities.  They became his major help and support to live a fulfilling life.  Although Vujicic's life began with rejection, it did not ultimately define him.  At first, he let his struggle with basic daily tasks and bullying deeply discourage him.  As he grew older, he found that he was not as handicapped as people thought he was: "He can jump backwards off a diving board into a pool, surf, play golf by holding the club between his chin and shoulder, play soccer and type 43 words a minute on a regular keyboard" (Nick Vujicic's Inspirational).  He also obtained degrees in both accounting and financial planning and served as the president of two organizations. Vujicic is now an author and speaker who travels throughout the world and inspires millions of people with his life's story (Life without Limbs). A hero must maintain a positive attitude in the midst of tribulation, think of others before themselves, and be willing to face difficulties without fear in order to help others through their time of adversity.  Nick Vujicic embodies the attributes of a hero: optimism, selflessness and the ability to endure hardship. His ability, rather than his disability, defines him.

Despite having no arms and no legs, Vujicic remains optimistic, and is able to inspire people around the world to find joy in their own lives as well.  Imagine dressing, combing one's hair, or brushing one's teeth each day, without arms and legs.  It would be exasperating, to say the least.  With ingenuity, determination, and a small amount of help from a flipper-like appendage, where his left leg would be, Vujicic successfully learned to care for himself.  He also learned to swim, play soccer and ride a skateboard by lying on his belly and pushing with his "flipper."  Through Vujicic's hard work, success continued for him in college and in the workplace. Despite his accomplishments, however, Vujicic describes times in his life when he felt depressed.  He knew that there was no hope to change his physical shortcomings.  Setting higher goals and working harder would never bring him limbs.  This is the life-circumstance that touches the hearts of his audiences around the world. Many can relate to having a problem that cannot be remedied.  They feel akin to Vujicic's suffering; he endured numerous hardships, and knows what it is like to experience failure.  Nick Vujicic realized that he had a choice to make.  He could be angry at his situation, or he could be thankful: "Happiness can come to us under any circumstance if we put our total trust in God" (Vujicic 8). Through his attitude of thankfulness for life, family, God, and much more, Vujicic is able to exude optimism to those around him: "His infectious joy and love of life come through so powerfully in his narration that listeners will actually be able to hear the smile in his voice" (Bigelow).  It is Vujicic's sincere joy, optimism, and zest for living, in spite of his disabilities, that gives strength and hope to others.             

Vujicic finds meaning in his life through the selfless purpose of inspiring and helping other people.   Nick Vujicic is driven by determination, the power of having a purpose in life, and by his faith in God.  To become successful at life, to overcome obstacles, and to give back to those in need, is what Vujicic desires to impart to others: "The greatest rewards come when you give of yourself.  It's about bettering the lives of others, being part of something bigger than yourself, and making a positive difference" (Vujicic 27).  In addition to his books and inspirational speaking engagements, Vujicic's organization donates money to help people in many areas around the world, including India to fight sex trafficking, and Africa to build orphanages (Nick Vujicic's Inspirational).  Vujicic has no limit on his goals to impact people around the world: "My dream is to honestly change the world . I know that sounds foolish. I know that sounds so big, but I have a big God" (Nick Vujicic's Inspirational). Because of his disability, Vujicic is widely known and very popular.  Even though he has the opportunity to gain personal wealth through his speaking engagements and books, he donates much of his money to others.  He feels more satisfaction in helping change lives than in obtaining possessions or wealth.  In order to make a difference in the lives of people who are going through hard times, he advises them to take their attention off of their own troubles and focus on bettering the lives of the people around them. As much as Vujicic impacts other people's lives, through his selfless giving, a bigger impact is made on his own life. 

Vujicic endures many hardships, making him a source of inspiration for people around the world who are facing adversity.  As a child, Nick Vujicic's peers ridiculed him and called him a failure: "In school, he was teased by his schoolmates and suffered depression, loneliness, and poor self-esteem" (Nick Vujicic).   He started to believe that his life would never amount to anything and that he would never be accepted.  At the age of ten, Vujicic attempted to drown himself three times, while lying in the bathtub (Nick Vujicic's Inspirational).  Thinking of his family and how devastated they would be, he decided to not go through with it.  Vujicic determined that he had to make a choice: to give up, or to keep going.  He chose the latter.  Vujicic shares his life experiences and victories over adversity in order to impart strength to others.  He describes the numerous "face plants" and bruises that came from not having arms and legs.  A few bumps never stopped him from trying again and again.  People believe Vujicic's message.  They see a man without limbs demonstrate what should be a near impossible feat: to get up from lying on the ground to a standing position, unaided.  Vujicic encourages people to get up, metaphorically speaking, when they fall.  As long as one keeps trying, he believes, there is a chance to succeed, there is still hope (Vujicic 127-129).  Because of Vujicic's personal experiences with enduring hardships, he is qualified to relate to people and give them hope and advice for making it through their problems.  Vujicic faced bullies, discouraging words, and self-doubt.  During these difficult times, his passionate love for Christ helped him to overcome adversity: "Faced with countless challenges and obstacles, God has given me the strength to surmount what others might call impossible" (Life Without Limbs).  His tremendous faith in God assures him that he is not alone and that God has a plan for his life.  He realizes that being born with Tetra-Amelia was not a mistake because it gives him a platform to help millions of people to cope with their adversities.

Nick Vujicic was born without limbs; however, he did not let disability define him. It is Vujicic's ability that makes him who he is: a hero. Instead of accepting failure, he made a decision to remain optimistic, put others first, and rise above hardship.  He finds optimism and a zest for life through choosing to be thankful instead of bitter. His attitude is contagious and gives strength and hope to millions of people.  He is selfless in his endeavors to give back to those in need.  Vujicic donates his resources and promotes the economy of helping others rather than focusing on one's problems. Through the trials of ridicule, depression, and poor self-esteem, Vujicic determined to never give up.  He relates this to others with the encouragement that there is always hope and a chance to succeed in life. His belief in God gives him a purpose and is the foundation for his life.  I am inspired by Nick Vujicic's grateful heart.  While he has every reason to be dissatisfied with his life, he chooses to be thankful instead.  It seems that he has traded his disability for ability, the ability to be an inspirational speaker, writer, philanthropist, and example to millions of people.  Many people seek after "things," in hope that material possessions will make their life more satisfying. Nick Vujicic gives his wealth and time away. He found that the key to happiness is serving others: "My joy would be to encourage and inspire others.  Even if I didn't change this planet as much as I would like, I'd still know with certainty that my life was not wasted" (Vujicic 24).  I am inspired by Vujicic's deep care and concern for others; it is genuine and it brings him fulfillment.  His life shows me that through faith in God, purpose and joy can be found regardless of the circumstances.  Vujicic says: "If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will certainly use any willing heart!" (Nick Vujicic)  

Works Cited

Vujicic, Nick. Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life. New York: Doubleday, 2010. Print.

"Nick Vujicic's Inspirational Splash Go The Distance: The minister shares his uplifting message worldwide." Investor's Business Daily 7 Oct. 2009: A03. Student Resources in Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.

"Life Without Limbs." Life Without Limbs. Ed. DESIGNED BY PLAINJOE STUDIOS.  COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIFE WITHOUT LIMBS INC, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

"Nick Vujicic." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Biography in Context. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

Bigelow, Deborah. "Vujicic, Nick. Life without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life.(Brief article)(Book review)."  Library Journal. 135.19 (Nov 15, 2010): 79(1). Student  Resource Center - Junior. Gale. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL. 20 Mar. 2014