Inspirational+Videos

=Inspirational/Motivational Videos=

Here is a list of some of the most inspiring videos from the Internet.

[|99 Balloons]: A story about baby Eliot who was born with Edward's syndrome.

[|Cultures At The Far Edge of the World (Wade Davis)] celebrates the diversity of the world's indigenous cultures, now disappearing from the planet at an alarming rate. He argues passionately that we should be concerned not only for preserving the biosphere, but also the "ethnosphere" -- "the sum total of all thoughts and dreams, myths, ideas, inspirations, intuitions brought into being by the human imagination."

[|Encouragement]: A motivational video based on a football player and his coach. The message seems to be, "don't give up. Press On and Press In"

[|In My Language]: An incredible, eye-opening look at Autism from someone with Autism. "The first part is in my "native language," and then the second part provides a translation, or at least an explanation. This is not a look-at-the-autie gawking freakshow as much as it is a statement about what gets considered thought, intelligence, personhood, language, and communication, and what does not."

[|Paul Potts Sings Opera]: "Paul Potts sings Nessun dorma on UK talent show "Britain's got Talent" featuring Simon Cowell as a judge."

[|World's Strongest Dad]: The story of a father-son team, Dick Hoyt and Rick Hoyt. "Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day." [|Wikipedia Entry].

[|Carpe Diem]: Classic scene from the Dead Poet's Society.

[|Warhawk Matt Scott]: Great motivational commercial from Nike.

[|About Being Considered "Retarded"]: "People often ask me what it's like being retarded." is the opening line in this 9min 54 sec video. Reminds me of [|Atticus Finch]: "If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." (contributed by [|Darren Kuropatwa])

[|Change Her World]: A touching video on autism.

[|Roger Williamson Fatal Car Crash (1973)]: Roger Williamson crashes hard on lap 8, roll his car and catches fire. Only yards away stood a fire tender, but no order was given to stop the race and its driver refused, perhaps rightly, to drive against the direction of the traffic. Worse, marshals with fire extinguishers merely watched as Purley fought a lone battle to right the upturned March. He could hear Williamson inside it. Roger pleaded with him to get him out. Time and again Purley tried to lift the car, but each time he failed. For two laps - at least 2m 47s -the fire was minimal, but then it grew dramatically in intensity. David tried to fight it after grabbing an extinguisher from one marshal, but by then the fire had too strong a hold. As the marshals still remained immobile, appalled spectators began to try and help, unable to believe what they were seeing. Only then were marshals with police dogs galvanized into action, to keep them back. Finally, in the most callous act of cowardice ever seen in motor racing, they moved at last and tried to drag the desolate Purley away. He shrugged them off angrily. Roger was uninjured in the cockpit, but they left him to die of asphyxiation. When they finally arrived, the fire trucks were far, far too late. David Purley : Through his tears he said, "I just couldn't turn it over. I could see he was alive and I could hear him shouting, but I couldn't get the car over. I was trying to get people to help me, and if I could have turned the car over he would have been alright, we could have got him out." Later, when the immediate grief had receded, he admitted, "I didn't even think about the heroism or any of that rubbish. I just did what comes naturally to a trained soldier who sees a fellow in trouble." Ian Philips - journalist and friend : "Purley actually had a conversation with him. David was trying to turn him over and told me afterwards how Roger had said to him, For God's sake, David, get me out of here', and he just couldn't get him out. The circumstances were just appalling. David Purley was later awared the British Imperial George Medal, the second highest (highest being the George Cross) medal that can ever be awarded to a civilian for bravery.

[|Are You Going To Finish Strong] - Nick Vujicic, a man without limbs, truly inspires!

[|Other Motivational Videos Compiled by John Evans] (thanks John)