Nick, who attended the opening ceremony of a football tournament for the city’s disadvantaged children prior to the event, began his speech by talking about soccer.
“In soccer, sometimes people win, sometimes people lose, and there is only one winner. But in real life, it’s different: we are all winners,” he said.
“In soccer, no matter if you are a striker, a midfielder, a defender or a goal keeper, you are all important. And that’s also true in real life: as long as you do your best, be the way you are,” he said.
During the one-hour programme, which was broadcast live on Vietnam Television Channels 1 and 6, Nick won the hearts of the audience without using ornate and flowery words and expressions, but through very simple, sincere and encouraging stories about his own life and experiences.
He told his guest about a childhood memory of his mother not helping him when he asked her to get him a toy that was out of his reach. Instead, she encouraged him to get it himself and she said she knew that he could do it. He managed to climb up on a chair and used his head and shoulder to finally get the toy.
“This taught me that instead of complaining that you can’t do something, you should start thinking about how to do it and just try. So what if you fail? Try harder!” he exclaimed.
“I was also grateful to my mother for allowing me to try, and I have learnt the importance of encouragement. By doing even very small things, we can all be miracles for each other,” he added.
During his talk, Nick also met and gave encouraging advice to Nguyen Chu Ngoc Thien My, a ninth-grader who was abandoned by her parents, and Nguyen Van Phuc, an 18 year old boy who was sent to a reform school for injuring his friend.
Nick expressed his sympathy with Thien My for being teased at school and recalled the time in his childhood when he realised he was different from other children. He also told how he dealt with his friends’ jokes about his disadvantages. He asked himself whether he would be happier if he had limbs, and he realised that happiness does not lie with such matters, but within his heart, his positive attitude towards life and in the way he makes decisions.
When Phuc said he was worried about people being prejudiced against him because he had been in was at reform school, Nick encouraged him to believe in himself, do his best and then everything will be alright.
“There is always hope for everyone and even broken hearts can move forward,” he stressed.
When asked about his feelings about Vietnam, Nick said, “I’ve been to 47 countries around the world, but I’ve had greatest time in Vietnam, being on TV, meeting Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and sharing my life story with all of you. I hope my days in Vietnam will inspire Vietnamese people, particularly those in wheelchairs and with disabilities.”
During his stay, Nick has hosted talks with businesspeople, as well as with disadvantaged and disabled young people, students, and children in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Nicholas "Nick" James Vujicic was born in 1982 in Brisbane, Australia, without arms and legs. He has overcome his numerous physical challenges and refuses to let them limit his lifestyle. Nick has traveled around the world presenting motivational speeches on living life with disabilities, encouraging hope and helping people find meaning in life.
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