The Amazing Nick Vujicic

There have been, and are, many amazing people in the world. Recently, I wrote (here) about the amazing Grimké sisters. They were amazing because in spite of growing up as privileged white girls in Charleston, S.C., they became leaders in the movement to abolish slavery in the U.S.

In completely different ways, Nick Vujicic (pronounced voy-a-chich) is also a most amazing person. He was born on December 4, 1982, in Australia of parents who had, before they met, each fled their native country of Serbia.

What a shock it was to them when Nick, their first child, was born with phocomelia! That little-known term describes the condition of babies who are born with malformed or missing limbs. (The term literally means “seal limbs.”)

Nick was born with no limbs at all, just one small foot with two toes at the bottom of his torso. Thus, he was destined to live a life without arms or legs as even prosthetics did not seem to work for him. Appropriately, his official website address is LifeWithoutLimbs.org.

His best known book, though, is titled Life Without Limits (2010). It is the inspiring, first-person story of this truly amazing man. In spite of their initial shock, Nick’s parents were pretty amazing, too, in the way they reared their son in spite of the tremendous challenges.

Nick’s book is a combination of autobiography, motivational messages, and Christian testimony all mixed together.

On the first page of the Introduction, Nick writes, “I was born without any limbs, but I am not constrained by my circumstances. I travel the world encouraging millions of people to overcome adversity with faith, hope, love, and courage so that they may pursue their dreams.”

It is certainly amazing how a person born with what seems to be such serious physical handicaps and disabilities has become an international speaker who seeks to motivate people to overcome their own physical or psychological handicaps that keep them from achievement and happiness.

Nick learned how to overcome the tremendous physical challenges he was born with, so in most ways he lives much the same as “normal” people—although he does need the help of a caregiver for many things, especially when he travels.

And Nick has literally travelled to countries around the world and has, as he says in the Introduction, spoken to millions of people in person and over television. June and I have seen him on “Hour of Power,” the Schullers’ TV program.

As strange as it might seem, Nick has even starred in a short movie. You can access “Butterfly Circus,” the movie he was in, here and watch the whole 20 minutes.

Kanae Miyahara was born in central Mexico, the daughter of a Japanese agricultural engineer and a Mexican mother. When she was a teenager, she moved to Texas to live with relatives, including her older sister.

Later, Kanae went to hear Nick speak in Dallas met him on that occasion. A romantic relationship developed, and they were married in February 2012. One year and one day later their first son, Kiyoshi, was born. Their second son was born in August of last year.

In 2014, Nick and Kanae co-authored a new book titled Love Without Limits: A Remarkable Story of True Love Conquering All. And theirs is truly a remarkable story.

Without a doubt, Nick and Kanae are amazing people. If you, or someone you know, are discouraged and feeling defeated, or even if you are not, I recommend the reading of Nick’s book. Those who do so will surely be amazed and inspired.