Nick’s Story

Nick Vujicic was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder that prevented him from growing any arms or legs. This came as a surprise to his mother, who refused to hold him after giving birth to him, and to his father, who ran into the hallway vomiting after seeing his misshapen son. At age 10, Nick was unable to see how he could live a “normal life” full of marriage, career opportunities, or enjoyable hobbies. Believing he was nothing more than a burden to his family, he decided to commit suicide. As he was attempting to drown himself in his bathtub, Nick realized that his family would be more burdened by his absence than his presence. Instead of giving up, he “persevered through life’s challenges and discovered key principles which enabled him to find his purpose and turn obstacles into opportunities” (Vujicic, 2020).

Motivated by this newfound sense of purpose, Nick was willing to do whatever it took to achieve his dreams, even if that meant failing again and again until he found success. He cherished the thought of a future family and wanted desperately to find peace with himself. These values kept him going and carried him through discouraging setbacks.

Today, Nick is a successful husband, father, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. He has achieved one of his greatest goals in life and is happily married with four children. When he is not with his beautiful family, he travels the world speaking to millions of people about his unique situation. In 2007, he founded Attitude is Altitude, which is a curriculum for grades K-12 to promote social and emotional learning. He is physically active and has figured out a way to participate in sports and other extreme activities. Nick has embraced vulnerability and is courageously taking action in the face of his obstacles.

To see him engaging in some of his favorite hobbies, watch the video below: