Admirable Determination

The movie "Murder Ball" is a very eye opening film. It gives an unexpected view into the lives of people with disabilities. When we think of people with disabilities, we automatically assume that they are so much more limited than we are. This movie proves that this thought process is very erroneous. The film was powerful in that it showed the determination and perseverance of people faced with disabilities. These guys not only participated in sports, they did it on an international level. The competitive nature of these disabled athletes rivals that of some of the top players in our professional sports. But this is only one part of the life of these people that the movie touched on. What made this movie so powerful was that it focused more on the personal lives of the rugby players. This was the most fascinating part of the film for me.

The movie chronicles the lives of the American players and the American coach of the Canadian team. It shows them dealing with everyday life while training for wheelchair rugby. Contrary to popular belief, people with disabilities have lives that are very similar to the rest of us. They have families, jobs, and homes that they have to maintain. They are regular people that because of some birth defect or terrible accident have had to live with not having full use of their legs and arms. Instead of lying around feeling sorry for themselves, these brave souls deal with their disabilities and try to live a life that parallels those of us that are blessed not to have the same problems. While watching the movie, I found myself feeling admiration for all of the characters. Each of them had a unique story of tragedy and triumph. It made me wonder if I could have the same tenacity to overcome a debilitating injury and live a normal life. We never know the amount of inner strength we have until we have to face adversity. How many of us would have half as much courage as these men?

"Murder Ball" really gave me a different perspective on people with disabilities. I know that we see famous people like Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Christopher Reeve and think that they are rare cases because they have money and better resources than other disabled people. But this movie made me see that there are plenty of disabled people out there that go on and try to enjoy their lives just like the rest of us. So the next time we are complaining about having a bad hair day or how we can't find the right outfit to wear, think about these people who are just happy to be alive and realize how blessed we really are.