His crutches were not the first thing I noticed. It was his smile. Luca Patuelli, 21, is a college student. He is short, dark-haired with a few pimples left over from his teenage years. But his face is like a beam of light when he smiles, and he does that a lot.
Luca was born with a disorder which keeps the bones and muscles in his legs from developing properly. He requires crutches to walk. But boy can he dance!
Luca appeared on "Good Morning America" awhile back. Outside, in front of the crowd that had gathered, he showed some of his moves. He's a break-dancer. Although it's not my favorite form of dance, I couldn't help being impressed and really amazed by Luca. He danced first with his crutches and then he cast them aside. Luca showed tremendous strength in his upper body, being able to spin, twist and balance using only one hand.
Luca said that people would come up to him and say, "I feel sorry for you." His reply was, "Why?" You see, Luca doesn't feel sorry for himself and doesn't want anyone else to either. He has been able to do what he loves and his crutches and physical disorder have not held him back. He has traveled around the world, performing even for the pope. He dances for children in hospitals, inspiring them and encouraging them not to give up.
What excuses are you giving for not doing what you love? If Luca can dance, then maybe it's time to stop making excuses and find a way to make it happen.
To see a short documentary movie (5 mins.) on Luca and watch him breakdance, click on this link:
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