Australian speakers seem to be few
and far between on TED, so I was particularly pleased to watch this talk by the
former cross-country skier, Janine Shepherd.
Janine was aiming for an Olympic
medal―until she was hit by a truck during a training bike ride through the Blue
Mountains (60-90 minutes from Sydney). Shephard’s doctors did not expect her to
survive, and when she did, they warned her that she would never walk again. But
she not only learned to walk again―she learned to fly.
Janine focused intently for years on healing both her broken
body and crushed morale. A turning point came watching small planes flying
overhead. She decided: “If I can’t walk, I’ll fly.” While still in a full body
cast, Janine was lifted into an aircraft for her first flight. Within a year
she had her private pilot’s license. Later, she earned her commercial pilots
license and instructor’s rating. Janine recently served on the board of
Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and became its youngest―and
only―female director.
Despite being a walking paraplegic, Janine Shepherd is also
a pilot and aerobatics instructor, as well as a powerful motivational speaker
and author. In this TED talk she shares her inspirational story about the human
potential for recovery. Her message: you are not your body, and giving up old
dreams can allow new ones to soar.
Today, Janine is the patron of the Australasian Spinal
Research Trust and is committed to helping find a cure for spinal cord injury
in the near future. In the meantime, she seeks to inspire those coping with
physical disability. She is the author of five books, including Never
Tell Me Never. And while doctors told her after her accident that she would
never have children, she now is a mother of three.
This 19 minute TED talk was first posted in November 2012.
“It [doesn't matter] what you look like, where you come
from, or what you do for a living. All that matters is that we continue to fan
the flame of humanity by living our lives as the ultimate creative expression
of who we really are.” ~ Janine Shepherd
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