Nick Vujicic – Philanthropist and Motivational Speaker
Author of bestsellers such as “Life Without Limits” and
“Unstoppable,” evangelist, motivational speaker, philanthropist, founder of
“Life Without Limbs” are just some of the accomplishments of Nick Vujicic. He
did all that despite being born without any limbs (arms or legs), just his
little chicken drumstick as he jokingly says. Nick’s videos have been shared
with over 4.5 million people globally. He was born in Brisbane Australia on 4
December 1982 and is the eldest son of Dushka and Boris Vujicic, who emigrated
from Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia) because of the communist repression unfolding
at the time. Nick has a sister, Michelle and a brother, Aaron.
Nick
was born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia syndrome. In layman’s term,
this is the absence of all four limbs. Even though his mother had watched her
diet during her pregnancy, neither drank nor smoked, and had two ultrasounds
showing normal development of Nick, her baby boy was still born with a
horrifying abnormality.
After
witnessing Nick’s delivery, his dad was said to be in such a state of shock
seeing only Nick’s little shoulders (no arms). He couldn’t face his son and had
to leave the delivery room. Nick’s mother at the time (a midwife by
profession), knowing that something was wrong, demanded to know what fuss was
all about. When told about Nick’s condition, she couldn’t accept the truth that
Nick was not only armless but was also born without legs. She told the nurses, “Take
him away, I don’t want to touch him or see him.” Little did they know that
Nick will live a life that’s inspiring and motivating.
During
the early years of Nick’s life, he saw himself as just another simply adorable
child, blissfully ignorant that there was any difference between him and other
children. With both grit and determination, Nick would push himself up with his
forehead. Nick, his brother, sister, and his parents moved from Brisbane to
Melbourne only to find that Nick is prohibited by state law from attending school due to his disability
(even though he was not mentally impaired). Nick’s parents challenged this law,
making Nick the first disabled child to join a mainstream school.
Attending school for Nick was both frustrating and
disheartening; he also challenged God and his faith, questioning why he was
born with a disability. So depressed was Nick at the age of ten that he decided
to end it all by attempting suicide. He planned to drown himself in the bath;
however, he felt a huge sense of guilt come over him, imagining both his grief
and guilt–stricken parents at his funeral feeling they had not done enough for
him. As a result, Nick did not push through with the ending of his life,
however, he did continue to challenge and question God to reveal to him why he
should have faith and belief in a God that would allow him to be born without
any limbs.
Throughout
Nick’s youth, he not only had to deal with the typical challenges of school and
being disabled. Those who didn’t know also assumed he was mentally disabled.
Along with the challenges of simply being a teenager and being ostracized
because he was different from all the other kids, Nick continued to struggle
with depression and loneliness, leading him to ponder even more deeply on why
he was the one born without arms and legs. In an effort to fit in at school,
Nick even tried out some specially designed electronic arms and hands. However,
he soon realized not only were they heavy and more awkward, he also attracted
more insults and became a favorite target of bullies.
The
turning point for Nick happened when his mum showed him a newspaper article
about another man and how he was dealing with physical disability. A corner had
been turned for Nick and realizing that he was not alone in his own struggles,
he decided to embrace his disabilities. He did not only become grateful for his
life, he also embraced it and decided to accomplish things that would inspire
others. From this realization and turning point in Nick’s life, he learned to
write with a pen in his two toes using a special grip, he also fashioned a
special technique to type on his computer using his heel and toe. Furthermore,
Nick also took on the challenge of becoming as independent as he could;
learning how to get himself a glass of water, brush his teeth, comb his hair,
shave, and throw a tennis ball, even pick up the phone as well as learn how to
play drum pedals.
By
grade seven (12 years old), Nick was elected school captain in addition to
being on the school’s student council. He became actively involved in fund
raising events, charities, and other campaigns. According to what Nick wrote in
his first book, he made his life right with God when he was 15 years old and
asked for forgiveness and direction. Nick was baptized four years later. At 17
years old, Nick was leading prayer meetings and speaking at events. He was at
that age when he founded his own nonprofit foundation called “Life Without
Limbs.”
When
he was 19 years old, Nick dedicated his time to studying Accounting and
Financial Planning at Griffith University. Nick also became interested in
pursuing a career as a motivational speaker—sharing stories of how he overcame
struggles, adversities by pondering on God’s message of love and encouragement.
His central message is that there is a purpose behind our struggles and how we
face them determines whether or not we will be able to triumph over them.
He
always asks this question to his audience around the globe: “Would you have
the strength to repeatedly tell yourself, ‘NEVER GIVE UP?’” At the age of
21 years old, Nick graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Griffith University
in Queensland with a double major in Accounting and Financial Planning. Much to
his parents’ concern,—they expect Nick would pursue a career in accounting—he
decided to go fulltime as a motivational speaker.
Between 2003 and 2005, Nick travelled the world, sharing his
message to motivate and evangelize students, church groups, charities, business
leaders, and presidents of big and small groups all over the world. He has gone
to as far as Kenya and Korea. He made a short film and motivational DVD about
his life called it “Life’s Greater Purpose” in 2005. By the end of the year, he
was nominated Young Australian of the Year for his foundation and inspirational
speaking.
In
2006, Nick moved to California to focus on his evangelical and public speaking
career and that is where he started his own company, Attitude Is Altitude. In
California, he also began penning thoughts for his first book which would later
be entitled, “Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life.”
Nick’s success as a public speaker shot up as he received national media
attention. Television networks approached him for interview and he appeared on
programs, such as 20/20 and 60 minutes. Nick was again featured in a short film
called “The Butterfly Circus” in 2009. The film won first prize at the Method
Film Festival, received a Doorstop Film Award, and gave Nick his first best
actor award. In 2010, the film also won the Best Short Film Award at the Feel
Good Film Festival.
That same year, Nick met his wife–to–be, Kanae. He and Kanae
described how they met in a recent interview with Peter Overton of Sixty
Minutes Australia:
"It was love at first sight… There’s a lot of love
stories out there, but it’s a special one—very special."
In
2011, while in Santa Barbara sailing on a yacht, Nick proposed to Kanae and
they married in February 2012. Nick remains very busy today. He has recently
completed and published another bestselling book called “Unstoppable” and Kanae
gave birth to their first child in February 2013. Nick has also launched his
new evangelical campaign called “Plant Seeds” and his “2013 World Outreach
Campaign” on top of his public speaking commitments, while managing his own
business and nonprofit organizations.
There
is much more history to be written about this young man—his courage,
persistence, faith, fatherhood, and passion for making the world a better place
by sharing his message of God’s love, saying that there is a purpose behind the
struggles we encounter in our lives. Again, our attitude towards these
struggles can make or break us. In Nick’s case, his optimism and faith
completed him and made him whole.
Awards & Achievements
- 2001: Became motivational speaker
and evangelist / Began travelling around the world spreading his message
to millions
- 2003: Graduated from Griffith
University Queensland Australia degree in Accounting & Financial
Planning
- 2005: Nominated as Young
Australian of The Year
- 2005: Short film documenting
Nick’s life Life's Greater Purpose
- 2008: Interviewed 20/20 by Bob
Cummings
- 2009: Doorpost Film Project top
prize for staring in movie The Butterfly Circus
- 2010: Best Short Film at the Feel
Good Film Festival
- 2010: Publishes Life Without
Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life
- 2010: Launched Something More
Project with Tyrone Wells
- 2011: Embarks on a Life Without
Limb’s World tour.
- 2011: Engaged to Kanae.
- 2011: Talks about Keaton’s Story
- 2011: Promotes Year End Appeal
- 2012: Pain to Promise / Plant
Seeds DVD launched
- 2012: Nick and Kanae married
- 2012: Launched Bullying- Stop the
Epidemic Campaign
- 2012: Skydives! Announces he and
Kanae are going to have a son
- 2012: Published Bestseller
Unstoppable!
- 2012: Launched 2013 World Outreach
Campaign
- 2013: Kanae gave birth to a
healthy baby boy
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