Nick Vujicic was born without limbs in 1982 in Melbourne, Australia. Against all odds, he has transformed his life to an enviable state because of his resilient and ‘never say never’ attitude. Married with two children, Nick has travelled all over the world as a motivational speaker. The disease he was born with is called tetra-Amelia syndrome, it is not genetic in nature.
What is tetra-amelia syndrome?
Tetra-amelia syndrome is a very rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. (“Tetra” is the Greek word for “four,” and “amelia” refers to the failure of an arm or leg to develop before birth.) This syndrome can also cause severe malformations of other parts of the body, including the face and head, heart, nervous system, skeleton, and genitalia. The lungs are underdeveloped in many cases, which makes breathing difficult or impossible. Because children with tetra-amelia syndrome have such serious medical problems, most are stillborn or die shortly after birth.
Nick clearly demonstrates the connotations behind the phrase, ‘disability is not inability.’
FRENCH VERSION
