At the age of 19, Tom lost both his hands and both of his legs to a deadly disease. Since then he has rebuilt his life, using prosthetics to master tasks that many able-bodied individuals often take for granted. An example of the expression ‘That which does not kill us, makes us stronger’, his story inspires and amuses, while leading audiences down a path of lateral thinking, problem solving, and self-reflection.
Tom’s tenacity for troubleshooting and optimism has advanced him to a journey he’d never anticipated. Applying the lateral thinking techniques previously attained in overcoming physical hurdles, Tom circumnavigates a variety of challenges and has carved out a new line of thinking, which he lives by to this day.
Tom views his physical configuration as simply a type of adversity as common as any other and says; “Everybody has hurdles, and everybody has some kind of disability, whether it be visible or invisible, external or internal, physical, mental, or emotional. The adversity is what helps build our character.”
Tom’s story of getting his life back on track one step at a time, is truly inspirational and demonstrates that that despite significant hardship, the human spirit and ‘will to live’ can prevail.
