What is happening to this man is appalling. Watching him struggle with the torch was freakish. We should respect people's disabilities and limitations.
If he was being forced I would agree with that but the thing is he wasn't forced, he wanted to do it and actually complained when they suggested he do it in a wheelchair instead saying he wanted to show that he could walk. After doing it he said he was proud and felt 'a million pounds'. If people were making him do it and were going just to see some kind of freak show i'd agree it is wrong but that wasn't the case. It was a man wanting to do something and the experience made him feel good and quite probably has gone a long way to helping his mental recovery.
they asked him if he wanted to have the distance shortened and he refused. have you thought it he may have seen it as a big personal achievement in his recovery progress
Well That's certainly another perspective. I'm glad my daughter didn't listen to others when she was being told by some how her disabilities would hold her back in life. She has the drive and determination to overcome her problems and will achieve her goals. Laura uses her so called limitations as a driving force. Ben Parkinson isn't accepting his limitations and disabilities, either. His actions are admired by so many people, after everything he's been through and I believe he's inspirational and a true superman.
Re: Well How is laura doing if you don't mind me asking? Obviously if you do then just tell me to shut up. There's even a handy little button for you to do just that.
He's the only one who can decide what his limitations are and he doesn't want to let what happened to him affect his life more it needs to. A lad in the regiment I served in lost his leg in Bosnia and he was determined to carry on his life as he wanted and this meant staying in the army. We should be proud of the strength and determination these brave young men (and women) show.
When do you ever listen to me???? Her health hasn't been that great since the transplant, mate. She's had problems with various illnesses, due (in part) to the anti rejection medication she takes. It's meant she's missed quite a lot of time at college. However, Barnsley College have been brilliant with her, allowing Laura to retake this year again. If all goes to plan, she'll start university in September of next year.
Appalling? Or uncomfortable? What has happened to him is tragic. What he has done today is amazing, and inspirational. My job is to get people with disabilities engaged in sport. One of the biggest barriers to that is that people with disabilities feel that they don't belong, because people around them don't feel comfortable with it. Unfortunately disability is something that we can't hide from, so watching a former soldier struggle is not something any of us should hide from. It's reality. Well done that man. He's just shown the world that life goes on, sport goes on, and he's probaly given thousands of people the reason to keep trying. He's earned more respect for people with disabilities in that torch bearing stretch, than I have done in 18 years of providing disability awareness training. Yes it's tragic, and uncomfortable, but he's done a fantastic thing today.
Re: When do you ever listen to me???? Sorry to hear that her health hasn't been great. I know nothing about the anti rejection medication but hopefully her body will just take some getting used to it and after a while it will settle down and stop making her ill. I bet that being ill doesnt bother her anywhere near as much as missing college does though does it, she's certainly an odd one isn't she (I've no idea where she gets that from...) Glad to hear that Barnsley College have been good and I hope it does all go to plan so she can go off to university next year. Hey she could even go to the same one as you so she can keep an eye on you.
My Favourite bit was when somebody from his regiment was asked whether they doubted he would make it. They replied "of course not he's a paratrooper."
The worrying trend is that the more a disabled person strives to do what the able-bodied do the more he/she is praised and respected. There is too much pressure/expectation put on disabled people to do what the able-bodied do. If disabled people can appear to do what the able-bodied do then society is happy because it doesn't have to face the challenging problem of responding to the needs of disabled people.
That man has balls the size of melons. I doubt he will ever give in to the injuries. How are YOU respecting him when you make the comment it was appealing to watch. He chose to walk. He chose to walk the full distance. His constant battle to over come his adversities Should be an inspiration to everyone regardless of their physical condition. What should he do? Sit at home in a wheel chair and rot away to an undignified death. Stop trying to put his achievements down. Did you see how proud he was?
