Dimensions
153 x 230 x 19mm
John Coutis was born with a disability so severe that he was not expected to survive for more than 24 hours. When the tiny newborn (as John describes himself - "the size of a Coke can, with legs so screwed and deformed they never worked") clearly demonstrated he was here to stay, his parents were told that a lifetime of incapacity and institutionalised care seemed the very best he could hope for. They didn't agree. Instead they took him home and gave him the same love and care they gave their other children.
John's childhood wasn't easy. He was labelled as a freak at school and mercilessly bullied. Yet John wasn't intimidated - instead he set about overcoming the problems caused by his physical disability. First, he made the decision to have his useless and wasted legs amputated. Then he got a job, learned to drive and moved out of home. Ordinary rites of passage for most young men, almost unbelievable for the boy equipped with only arms and a torso.
John is now married and one of Australia's most successful inspirational speakers. His message of "If I can do it, you can do it" is so powerful that it has seen him share the stage (and upstage) such figures as General Norman Schwarzkopf, Lee Iacocca and Alan Jones. He has inspired some of Australia's greatest sports stars, as well as thousands upon thousands of ordinary people.
This autobiography is the unique story of his life - a tale of courage, endurance and humour that will inspire and move everyone who reads it.
