John Killinger
Was watching a documentary today on CNA about an American named Gregory Burns. Born 1957. Accomplished Artist, Athlete, Writer and Internationally acclaimed Motivational Speaker. They were showing clips of his paintings, his books, his speeches. This guy's have it all. He looks like every successful man out there with his strong phsyique, endearing bright smile and chiselled good looks. I was getting bored with the lengthy How-I-did-it speech and was ready to switch channels. I'm glad I didn't. When the camera zooms out, I realise, hey, wait a minute, what's the pair of clutches doing beside this suave gentleman sitting on a bench. It seems Greg needs walking aid. Looks interesting. So this isn't an ordinary, typical rags-to-riches story after all.
You see, this guy's disabled. Having contracted polio in Jerusalem as an 8-month old infant, Greg relies on a pair of leg braces and forearm crutches to move around since then.
Later, the camera followed him swimming. As Greg removes his pants, there you see it. Those scrawny, shrivelled, pale pair of legs. Looks more like 2 wooden poles to me. Lifeless. Weak. Unable to even support his own weight. And he swam laps using solely his upper body strength. Yes, I mean laps. Amazing. I mean, I know some people can't even swim with both healthy feet intact. He's a Paralympian, a member of the USA Disabled Swim Team. Competing in the 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Paralympics, Greg set four world records and captured half a dozen medals. He's also an avid hiker and mountaineer, having scaled the world's most impressive peaks, a certified PADI scuba-diver, body-boarder. In 1983, Gregg hopped the Honolulu Marathon and came in dead last. He crossed the finish line 16 hours after the start of the race .
"Arguably, due to a disability that constantly motivates me to scale new mountains both literally and metaphorically, I border on being an overachiever. Perhaps it all started when, petrified at the age of four, I would ride the roller coaster simply because my older brother wouldn't. In time, I graduated to climbing mountains, competing internationally as a swimmer and backpacking overland throughout Asia for 16 months at a stretch. No doubt part of it is comes for a need to overcompensate or a need to prove myself. I've never been sure of how much is too much as I have never had any role models. But more importantly, I've just done the things I wanted to do."
Gregory Burns
Greg’s physical disability has never limited his winning attitude, persistence and team spirit which have all combined to make him a consistent champion and gold medal winner at numerous international athletic events in the past 23 years. His medical condition and achievements have made him a unique source of inspiration and motivation for people to maximize their potential and creativity while overcoming life's challenges.
Greg has never let his disability stop him from achieving and becoming the person he wanted to be. He has a winning mentality that's nurtured from a young age when his parents refused to treat him as a 'disabled' person, and sent him to 'normal' schools with normal kids. And Greg adapted his abilities to the different sports that were exposed to him. He never limited himself to the boundaries that a disabled person can do. His mind was always open, always exploring, always determined to succeed and ready to prove others wrong. Instead of giving up on himself, Greg has pursued a passionate life of painting, traveling, trekking, swimming, scuba diving, producing documentaries, addressing large audiences as a motivational speaker and working as a regional Marketing/PR manager for PepsiCo Restaurants International. We must learn to harness the setbacks in our lives which are what push us forward and bring us inner strength.
Greg has a lesson for us. Never let logical thinking or what others say restrict what you can be. Circumstances have not stopped Greg from living out his dreams. We must learn to harness the setbacks in our lives which are what push us forward and bring us inner strength. Everyone has his/her own race to run. Some burst in front when the gun fires. Some are slow to react to the gunshot and lag behing others. Some stumble along the way. Some develop cramps and struggle to carry on, but finish it nevertheless. Doesn't matter how you start the race. Life's not a 100-metre dash but like running a marathon. It's how you finish that matters. When life deals you a bad hand of cards, stop whining about it and play it the best you could.
"I asked God what is His purpose for me. I realise from a young age that I wasn't like the other kids. I've learnt that when one door shuts, another opens. God took away my legs, and He gave me something else. When God takes something away from you, He always gives something back in return. "
Gregory Burns
