Here is a true story by Paul Harvey. Pass it to anyone who you think would
find it interesting and inspiring. You will be surprised who this young man
turned out to be. (Do not look at the bottom until you have
read it fully.)
Years ago a hardworking man took his family from New York State to Australia
to take advantage of a world opportunity there. Part of this man's family
was a handsome young son who had aspirations of joining the circus as a
trapeze artist or an actor. This young fellow, biding his time until a
circus job or even one as a stagehand came along, worked at the local
shipyards which bordered on the worst section of town.
Walking home from work one evening this young man was attacked by five thugs
who wanted to rob him. Instead of just giving up his money the young fellow
resisted. However they bested him easily and proceeded to beat him to a
pulp! p; They mashed his face with their boots, and kicked and beat his body
brutally with clubs, leaving him for dead. When the police happened to find
him lying in the road they assumed he was dead and called for the Morgue
Wagon.
On the way to the morgue a policeman heard him gasp for air, and they
immediately took him to the emergency unit at the hospital. When he was
placed on a gurney a nurse remarked to her horror, that this young man no
longer had a face. Each eye socket was smashed, his skull, legs, and arms
fractured, his nose literally hanging from his face, all his teeth were
gone, and his jaw was almost completely torn from his skull.
Although his life was spared he spent over a year in the hospital. When he
finally left, his body may have healed but his face was disgusting to look
at. He was no longer the handsome youth that everyone admired. When the
young man started to look for work ! again he was turned down by everyone just
on account of the way he looked. One potential employer suggested to him
that he join the freak show at the circus as The Man Who Had No Face. And
he did this for a while. He was still rejected by everyone and no one
wanted to be seen in his company. He had thoughts of suicide.
This went on for five years. One day he passed a church and sought some
solace there. Entering the church he encountered a priest who had seen him
sobbing while kneeling in a pew. The priest took pity on him and took him
to the rectory where they talked at length.
The priest was impressed with him to such a degree that he said that he
would do everything possible for him that could be done to restore his
dignity and life, if the young man would promise to be the best Catholic he
could be, and trust in God's mercy to free him from his torturous life.
The young man went to mass and co! communion every day, and after thanking God
for saving his life, asked God to only give him peace of mind and the grace
to be the best man he could ever be in His eyes. The priest, through his
personal contacts was able to secure the services of the best plastic
surgeon in
They would be no cost to the young man, as the doctor was the priest's best
friend. The doctor too was so impressed by the young man, whose outlook now
on life, even though he had experienced the worst, was filled with good
humor and love.
The surgery was a miraculous success. All the best dental work was also
done for him. The young man became everything he promised God he would be.
He was also blessed with a wonderful, beautiful wife, and many children, and
success in an industry which would have been the furthest thing from his
mind as a career if not for the goodness of God and the love of the people
who cared for him. This he acknowledges publicly.
The young man was and is Mel Gibson.
His life was the inspiration for his production of the movie "The Man
Without A Face." He is to be admired by all of us as a God fearing man, a
political conservative, and an example to all as a true man of courage.
And to think I admired him before I knew any of this!
He is quite a man!
Paul Harvey