Sometimes when working in television like comedian Dara O’Briain, you get the opportunity to meet people you’d be unlikely to run into otherwise. In Dara’s case he has arranged to meet up with his childhood hero, Stephen Hawking.
Since Hawking released his book “A Brief History of Time” he has become not just the worlds most famous scientist, but a full on pop culture icon. Far beyond the world of physics, people know his name and possibly even more famously his voice. In 1963 doctors told him that his Motor Neuron Disease would give him only two years to live. More than 50 years later he continues to defy that diagnosis and now Dara gets a chance to spend time with the man behind the bright lights and equations and meets the team of people who help look after him.
I find it very inspiring that a man, although he has ALS, can live his life happily and inspire many people. He really made something of his life. Not just someone who happens to be the smartest man on earth, who people would only be taking advantage of, but really live a happy life.
I highly recommend you watch “Gleason.” It’s a documentary that began as Steve Gleason’s video diaries for his unborn son soon after he was diagnosed with ALS. It’s a look at his day-to-day life as he condition rapidly worsens, but also how he continues to adapt, find joy and purpose in his life and lobbies the government and insurance companies to help others do the same It’s a great watch. Released in 2016.