Not quitting

As I watched he young man in the wheelchair talk to the students about his story, I realized that even though he was sponsored by ICBC (the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia), he was speaking from the heart. As a teenager growing up the young man had made some from his own admission foolish mistakes, and (his words) was cocky and never thought anything could happen to him. Up until his accident, he told the audience I was lucky, but luck does not last forever. He described the events leading up to his accident, his little decisions that had tragic consequences, ending with an accident that claimed his friends life and caused him to be paralyzed from the chest down.

He spoke from the heart and the audience listened, and heard what he had to say. Personal tragedy and remorse have helped the speaker as he tries to help others, not follow in his footsteps.He was taking responsibility for his actions and spoke to the pain of losing his friend and the grief he had caused his and his friends family. I watched the room and the students were focused, and hearing the words and the emotion. Around Grad time at high schools we sometimes have to have speakers who have faced and overcome personal tradegy come to speak to our grads so they will not make bad decisions.