Living The Green Platform

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THE MIRACLE WALKS OF ALI AND ALEX the ‘Rumble in the Jungle,’ and the ‘Thrilla in Manila’. He did it not because he had to do it but because he wanted to do it. It gives him purpose and meaning every day. With those five steps he conquered yet again his personal Everest. Alexander is our third child. He has a rare medical condition called Mowat-Wilson syndrome. He was the first child in Ireland discovered to be suffering from it as a baby. He is now 11 years old. He will never talk. He can do a little walk if heavily assisted by Annette, his mother, or Genevieve or Fionn (his sister and brother) or by his godmother, Mary, or his visiting nurse, Liz, who all help make his life so worthwhile. He hasn’t eaten for over eight years because he gets his food into his system through a tube into his stomach. He’s also doubly incontinent. We are all in awe of him in our house. He is the most magical and magnetic child you could ever imagine. Every morning he goes on his special bus to St Catherine’s in Newcastle, Co Wicklow where the people there do amazing work with him and with all his special needs friends. Before Christmas a few years ago they even staged a nativity play. Alexander was St Joseph. In the rehearsals, he was great at knocking on the doors of inns that were full and closed to weary travellers with a donkey. However, during the play itself, as soon as he saw the audience he became more interested in waving at us and clapping his hands on the stage than knocking on inn doors. All the actors in the nativity play had members of the staff helping them move around as some were in wheelchairs and some needed assistance to stand upright. In the midst of it all, Alexander turned around and took off. He walked five steps across the stage on his own. Unaided. Jane, who looked after his class was so excited afterwards. “Did you see him walking five steps on his own. Could you imagine him doing anything like that last year?” 29
LIVING THE GREEN PLATFORM Like Ali, he conquered his own personal Everest that day in the nativity play by walking those five steps. So if you’ve given up on exercise or working harder to get promotion or any other personal challenge, think of Ali and Alex and then realise what you are capable of doing in your life. Their ‘marathons’ were just five steps each but what a magnificent achievement for the two of them. Your journey of 1,000 miles begins with just five steps. In the book, The Green Platform, chapter 11 is about Alexander and the positive impact he has on everyone he meets. The chapter is called Meet Alexander the Greatest. Every day is a new beginning only waiting for you to start your own heroic journey and be inspired by “The Greatest, Muhammad Ali” and “Alexander The Greatest” so that you too can become the greatest you can be. Red Platform: “What’s the point? It’s only five steps. Where’s that wheelchair? Where’s Jane?” Green Platform: Every step in the right direction matters. Five or five thousand. “I can do it, one step at a time.” 30
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