Blog Rotation 2

Book: Blade Runner
Author: Oscar Pistorius
Genre: Autobiography
Pages:222

“The real loser is never the person who crosses the finishing line last. The real loser is the person who sits on the side, the person who does not even try to compete”- words written from his mother when he was a baby

Throughout his whole life Oscar Pistorius has encountered danger, challenges and adventures. In his autobiography he writes about his whole life, sports achievements, intimate moments (such as his first real love) and how he became what he is today. On page 116 Oscar writes, "Today, my main goal in life, alongside my sporting goals, is to help others. I would like to build my own nongovernmental organization to assist African amputees, both financially and otherwise, in obtaining prostheses."

1. The great human path is different for everyone else and takes different turns, however a great human path would include achievements whether sporting, politic etc. possibly charities or helping the others could help build an image. The more problems one can overcome the more he/she will seem like a role model. However the great human path consists of many details, every person has done something great in his life that he will be remember for, some people more than the other. And Oscar Pistorius has been a great role model and has established his great human path.

2. Oscar Pistorius was born with the fibula missing in bone legs leading to him being amputated from the knee down when he was only 11 months.

(Oscar with his first prostheses, "They were very comfy.")

He grew up in South Africa alongside his older brother Carl and younger sister Aimee. His parents were always supportive of him and encouraged him to try new things such as sports. Rugby for instance is more a culture than sport in South Africa, therefore he himself played, however growing up his favorite sport was always wrestling, the sport he won his first medal for. Oscar and Carl were always very close, “We were like Buzz and Woody in Toy Story.”-22.  Even when Carl got his first car at 17 Oscar learned to drive it at only 15. Oscar's father always taught them to be gentlemen, they had to put their younger sister in the first place by opening doors, being nice to her etc. At only 7 years old his parents announced they were getting a divorce changing their whole life. They were used to living in a huge house and ended up living with their mother in a smaller house where the rules changed. Then again once in a while the prostheses kept making problems, Oscar was growing up at a fast rate, and his artificial legs kept on giving him blisters and pains. No matter how much pain thought, their father loved sports, and therefore would give the boys extra pocket money if they could do gymnastic tricks and the more excersizes they did the more money they would earn. The interesting thing about his life is that he never liked running, he thought it was hard and due to his heavy legs didn't find it amusing, however after a rugby tackle were he nearly ended up in a wheelchair, getting back in shape meant running on the tracks, that was the first time he realized running was "his" sport. Summer of 2001 Oscar's mother remarried but unfortunately died on the 6th March, 2002 of Hepatitis C. He had the dates of her birth and death tattooed on his arm.

  (On his left inner arm he had the dates of his mother's birth and death, he had a great bond with her. "My only regret is not being able to share the experience with my mother," she is his inspiration)
He loved his homeland, it gave him opportunities for adventures with his brother, he grew up in South Africa and went on to represent his country in sport events.

3.  I think everything that happened in Oscar;s early life has affected the choices and paths he has taken during his life. If Oscar wasn't born with the fibula bone missing, his parents may not have payed as much attention to him and pushed him to all limits. Also, he may not have found his love for sports and may not be an inspirational figure, one of the main reasons he is a role model is because of his disability. But all the things he has been through such as accidents, fights, races etc. all shape the person he is today and achievements he has accomplished.