what do you do when you’re five years old and sent home from the hospital with
old and sent home from the hospital with
old and sent home from the hospital with only five months left to live what do
only five months left to live what do
only five months left to live what do you do when you wake from a nightmare in
you do when you wake from a nightmare in
you do when you wake from a nightmare in the middle of the night screaming please
the middle of the night screaming please
the middle of the night screaming please don’t let me die what do you do when the
don’t let me die what do you do when the
don’t let me die what do you do when the man who gave you life tries to take it
man who gave you life tries to take it
man who gave you life tries to take it away from you and not in a quick way
away from you and not in a quick way
away from you and not in a quick way either tedx purpose is to share ideas
either tedx purpose is to share ideas
either tedx purpose is to share ideas were spreading some of the those ideas
were spreading some of the those ideas
were spreading some of the those ideas may see me but I’ve came to realize that
may see me but I’ve came to realize that
may see me but I’ve came to realize that there’s nothing new Under the Sun those
there’s nothing new Under the Sun those
there’s nothing new Under the Sun those old ideas can be a catalyst to propel us
old ideas can be a catalyst to propel us
old ideas can be a catalyst to propel us towards a future a brighter future our
towards a future a brighter future our
towards a future a brighter future our theme tonight is rise when I think of
theme tonight is rise when I think of
theme tonight is rise when I think of rising I see this image of a mystical
rising I see this image of a mystical
rising I see this image of a mystical creature known as a phoenix rising from
creature known as a phoenix rising from
creature known as a phoenix rising from the ashes in life we’re going to get
the ashes in life we’re going to get
the ashes in life we’re going to get burned but all outcomes have the ability
burned but all outcomes have the ability
burned but all outcomes have the ability to lead to renewal and joy I want to
to lead to renewal and joy I want to
to lead to renewal and joy I want to talk to you about my perspective of
talk to you about my perspective of
talk to you about my perspective of rising I want to talk about persevering
rising I want to talk about persevering
rising I want to talk about persevering in 1995 I was that boy who woke up from
in 1995 I was that boy who woke up from
in 1995 I was that boy who woke up from the hospital with the nightmares that
the hospital with the nightmares that
the hospital with the nightmares that echoed screams into the next room the
echoed screams into the next room the
echoed screams into the next room the doctors gave me five months to live
doctors gave me five months to live
doctors gave me five months to live after diagnosing me with full-blown AIDS
after diagnosing me with full-blown AIDS
after diagnosing me with full-blown AIDS sending me home with no hope the way I
sending me home with no hope the way I
sending me home with no hope the way I became infected was heinous in itself my
became infected was heinous in itself my
became infected was heinous in itself my own father intentionally injected me
own father intentionally injected me
own father intentionally injected me with the HIV virus hoping I would die
with the HIV virus hoping I would die
with the HIV virus hoping I would die off and he would never have to pay
off and he would never have to pay
off and he would never have to pay tragically he is still saving the
tragically he is still saving the
tragically he is still saving the license in prison but I was left to deal
license in prison but I was left to deal
license in prison but I was left to deal with the virus that it restrains me
with the virus that it restrains me
with the virus that it restrains me mentally emotionally physically and
mentally emotionally physically and
mentally emotionally physically and socially what was meant to be my first
socially what was meant to be my first
socially what was meant to be my first day of school I wasn’t allowed to go to
day of school I wasn’t allowed to go to
day of school I wasn’t allowed to go to school but finally my district caved
school but finally my district caved
school but finally my district caved I was welcome to have an education but
I was welcome to have an education but
I was welcome to have an education but with restrictions I couldn’t drink from
with restrictions I couldn’t drink from
with restrictions I couldn’t drink from the Rada fan
the Rada fan
the Rada fan I couldn’t I couldn’t use the restroom
I couldn’t I couldn’t use the restroom
I couldn’t I couldn’t use the restroom and I could only come for half a day my
and I could only come for half a day my
and I could only come for half a day my peers would run away from me in the
peers would run away from me in the
peers would run away from me in the hallways like I had again call me names
hallways like I had again call me names
hallways like I had again call me names like aids boy free they would quickly
like aids boy free they would quickly
like aids boy free they would quickly remind me that I was wasted space and I
remind me that I was wasted space and I
remind me that I was wasted space and I didn’t belong there when I was in
didn’t belong there when I was in
didn’t belong there when I was in seventh grade I suffered from physical
seventh grade I suffered from physical
seventh grade I suffered from physical abuse at home and school this year even
abuse at home and school this year even
abuse at home and school this year even got more devastating when I almost lost
got more devastating when I almost lost
got more devastating when I almost lost my mother to a car accident what do you
my mother to a car accident what do you
my mother to a car accident what do you do when the whole world is screaming
do when the whole world is screaming
do when the whole world is screaming you’re worthless and the one person
you’re worthless and the one person
you’re worthless and the one person who’s always believed in you can’t be
who’s always believed in you can’t be
who’s always believed in you can’t be there for you anymore in my moment of
there for you anymore in my moment of
there for you anymore in my moment of desperation I wanted to escape one night
desperation I wanted to escape one night
desperation I wanted to escape one night I had three knives in front of me I ask
I had three knives in front of me I ask
I had three knives in front of me I ask myself what one can cut the deepest I
was ready to stop all the pain I was
was ready to stop all the pain I was tired of being wasted space and I just
tired of being wasted space and I just
tired of being wasted space and I just wanted peace in my lowest moment I was
wanted peace in my lowest moment I was
wanted peace in my lowest moment I was called to my Bible and I read the psalm
called to my Bible and I read the psalm
called to my Bible and I read the psalm of David why so downcast O my soul puts
of David why so downcast O my soul puts
of David why so downcast O my soul puts you a help and guide the word help begin
you a help and guide the word help begin
you a help and guide the word help begin to waste curiosity it felt good to say
to waste curiosity it felt good to say
to waste curiosity it felt good to say hope say with me 1 2 3 hope do I dare to
hope say with me 1 2 3 hope do I dare to
hope say with me 1 2 3 hope do I dare to rise when life seems hopeless I found
rise when life seems hopeless I found
rise when life seems hopeless I found out this that in life we come into this
out this that in life we come into this
out this that in life we come into this world to be carried taking baby steps –
world to be carried taking baby steps –
world to be carried taking baby steps – one step at a time and before you know
one step at a time and before you know
one step at a time and before you know we’re running and we have to take leaps
we’re running and we have to take leaps
we’re running and we have to take leaps of faith but what guarantees us that
of faith but what guarantees us that
of faith but what guarantees us that can make those leaves off we fast joy we
can make those leaves off we fast joy we
can make those leaves off we fast joy we can get right back at the answer is hope
can get right back at the answer is hope
can get right back at the answer is hope and who is vital hope is what reminds us
and who is vital hope is what reminds us
and who is vital hope is what reminds us that in life that everything is going to
that in life that everything is going to
that in life that everything is going to be okay a13 I realized when uh when bad
be okay a13 I realized when uh when bad
be okay a13 I realized when uh when bad things happen to me I always asked why
things happen to me I always asked why
things happen to me I always asked why is this happening to me I should do some
is this happening to me I should do some
is this happening to me I should do some deep searching I realized I’m asking the
deep searching I realized I’m asking the
deep searching I realized I’m asking the wrong questions the question I need to
wrong questions the question I need to
wrong questions the question I need to ask is why not me
ask is why not me
ask is why not me you see life is full of suffering but
you see life is full of suffering but
you see life is full of suffering but suffering produces perseverance of
suffering produces perseverance of
suffering produces perseverance of perseverance produces character and
perseverance produces character and
perseverance produces character and character produces hope and hope does
character produces hope and hope does
character produces hope and hope does not fail everything we go through in
not fail everything we go through in
not fail everything we go through in life has the ability to make us and
life has the ability to make us and
life has the ability to make us and break us where we suffer we have the
break us where we suffer we have the
break us where we suffer we have the ability to create the best person we can
ability to create the best person we can
ability to create the best person we can be the grass isn’t greener on the other
be the grass isn’t greener on the other
be the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence it’s greener where you
side of the fence it’s greener where you
side of the fence it’s greener where you water we just have to ask you we want to
water we just have to ask you we want to
water we just have to ask you we want to be part of the problem when you’ve hide
be part of the problem when you’ve hide
be part of the problem when you’ve hide the solution in other words do you want
the solution in other words do you want
the solution in other words do you want to play the victim in your sale what do
to play the victim in your sale what do
to play the victim in your sale what do you want victory the choice is eyes our
you want victory the choice is eyes our
you want victory the choice is eyes our choice needs to be to rise because there
choice needs to be to rise because there
choice needs to be to rise because there is hope the funny thing about choices
is hope the funny thing about choices
is hope the funny thing about choices that we don’t always get to choose
that we don’t always get to choose
that we don’t always get to choose things a night like where we’re from
things a night like where we’re from
things a night like where we’re from where we grow up but some people don’t
where we grow up but some people don’t
where we grow up but some people don’t get the choice of what to wear or live
get the choice of what to wear or live
get the choice of what to wear or live however we do get to choose the outcome
however we do get to choose the outcome
however we do get to choose the outcome I begin to choose victory I chose to
I begin to choose victory I chose to
I begin to choose victory I chose to trade my ashes for beauty I chose to
trade my ashes for beauty I chose to
trade my ashes for beauty I chose to live a life because there is a plan and
live a life because there is a plan and
live a life because there is a plan and a paper I chose to dare myself to become
a paper I chose to dare myself to become
a paper I chose to dare myself to become something I chose to rise and make a
something I chose to rise and make a
something I chose to rise and make a difference and I didn’t stop there
difference and I didn’t stop there
difference and I didn’t stop there a 16 I show his forgiveness I needed
a 16 I show his forgiveness I needed
a 16 I show his forgiveness I needed elector the baggage and put it at God’s
elector the baggage and put it at God’s
elector the baggage and put it at God’s feet I forgave all those people in the
feet I forgave all those people in the
feet I forgave all those people in the past you’ve hit me I even forgave my
past you’ve hit me I even forgave my
past you’ve hit me I even forgave my father my hell is completely strange in
father my hell is completely strange in
father my hell is completely strange in this moment as I stand before you I’m a
this moment as I stand before you I’m a
this moment as I stand before you I’m a 26 year old man who’s happy and healthy
26 year old man who’s happy and healthy
26 year old man who’s happy and healthy he was no longer battling HIV because it
he was no longer battling HIV because it
he was no longer battling HIV because it is undetectable I’ve been given hope to
is undetectable I’ve been given hope to
is undetectable I’ve been given hope to have kids someday because I can’t pass
have kids someday because I can’t pass
have kids someday because I can’t pass on the value rising didn’t stop there
on the value rising didn’t stop there
on the value rising didn’t stop there it’s just not a one-day decision after
it’s just not a one-day decision after
it’s just not a one-day decision after years of going through physical or
years of going through physical or
years of going through physical or mental tragedy I suffered from
mental tragedy I suffered from
mental tragedy I suffered from depression to this day every day is a
depression to this day every day is a
depression to this day every day is a batter to get up out of bed but there’s
batter to get up out of bed but there’s
batter to get up out of bed but there’s so much joy when I choose to push
so much joy when I choose to push
so much joy when I choose to push through the struggle a man I was made to
through the struggle a man I was made to
through the struggle a man I was made to rise every day we have the opportunity
rise every day we have the opportunity
rise every day we have the opportunity to rise I don’t believe in extraordinary
to rise I don’t believe in extraordinary
to rise I don’t believe in extraordinary people I only believe in or ordinary
people I only believe in or ordinary
people I only believe in or ordinary people who do extraordinary things and
people who do extraordinary things and
people who do extraordinary things and I’m going to show that to the world
I’m going to show that to the world
I’m going to show that to the world daily more importantly I believe that
daily more importantly I believe that
daily more importantly I believe that you can too after the duck stomach
you can too after the duck stomach
you can too after the duck stomach stormy day comes a bright sunny day and
stormy day comes a bright sunny day and
stormy day comes a bright sunny day and what do we get to do rise say it with me
storms aren’t the problem it’s a lack of
storms aren’t the problem it’s a lack of perception and I don’t know about you
perception and I don’t know about you
perception and I don’t know about you but when storms hit I often feel like
but when storms hit I often feel like
but when storms hit I often feel like I’m going to drag but then I realize I’m
I’m going to drag but then I realize I’m
I’m going to drag but then I realize I’m just too lazy to get up and white am I
just too lazy to get up and white am I
just too lazy to get up and white am I on guiding can I get real with you
idea that that life can suck but it
idea that that life can suck but it doesn’t have to suck a joy out of s
doesn’t have to suck a joy out of s
doesn’t have to suck a joy out of s failure does not have to be fatal
failure does not have to be fatal
failure does not have to be fatal our failure can have function if we are
our failure can have function if we are
our failure can have function if we are willing to pay severe there’s going to
willing to pay severe there’s going to
willing to pay severe there’s going to be times a knife when you feel like
be times a knife when you feel like
be times a knife when you feel like you’ve been brought to your knees but
you’ve been brought to your knees but
you’ve been brought to your knees but what you need to realize in this moment
what you need to realize in this moment
what you need to realize in this moment is you only have one direction again and
is you only have one direction again and
is you only have one direction again and that’s their ass thank you
”
Be First to Comment