Society can bite people on a regular basis. But sometimes a bad situation can define a person and it’s unfair when it overshadows the good.
When a bad break occurs, some people to have a hard time overcoming the heartache and at times are unable to recover from the situation.
Each time a story comes out where a person deals with depression, it’s hard to read those stories — especially when someone has given up.
The Olympic games are a prime example. Athletes work their entire lives to be the best in their sport. But, when an athlete finished with an abysmal result, it’s all people talk about. Therefore, an athlete’s glory is ignored because of one infamous moment.
Look no further than French hurdler Wilhem Belocian, whose Olympic debut evaporated before it even began. Belocian false started in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and was consequently disqualified from the event.
Millions watching on television or online saw the Frenchman’s agony and grief. Belocian left the track disgusted and embarrassed after blowing the opportunity of a lifetime to be the best hurdler in the world.
Who knows if Belocian will even be competitive enough to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in four years. If he doesn’t redeem himself in the future, his legacy will be his false start in Rio de Janeiro.
The media plays a large role in what goes on the air and garners views. People like to watch defining events, and sometimes they’re negative.
But, when someone finds a way to overcome personal demons, a single negative event doesn’t have to hold them back.
Continuing with the Olympic spirit, I look to Italian paracyclist Alex Zanardi. Before winning two gold medals in London four years ago, Zanardi was an international racecar driver until a bad crash changed everything.
Zanardi lost control of his car and another driver hit him at full speed. The impact severed the nose of Zanardi’s car and he lost both legs.
However, the gruesome crash didn’t damper the former two-time Championship Auto Racing Teams champion, who returned to racing with prosthetic legs a few years later.
Zanardi’s perseverance is rare. A single event that could have ended his life didn’t define his racing career. His drive to succeed and win those gold medals overshadowed the negative in my eye as a sports fan.
Unfortunately, today’s society defines an individual for one event instead of what they’ve accomplished as a whole.
Rather than bash a person or make fun of them, focus on the good they’ve done before or maybe after overcoming adversity. It makes society better when the positive conquers the negative in a world that constantly witnesses turmoil.
In life, people don’t hear about perseverance in the news often. But when the story is great, it should be put out there for the audience to remember.
Luis Torres
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