Share your story of a struggle or fight you have faced in your life or may be facing right now. Explain how you are overcoming and handling your obstacles and how you have triumphed these road blocks in life. Then spread the word to others to share their story as well!
Whether you are currently battling with a health issue, an economic or financial struggle or you have friends or loved ones who are dealing with or have dealt with something they had to battle in their lives, your words can help us inspire others across the country and around the globe by letting them know they are not alone, they can reach their goals and dreams, and together we can help others reach their true potential by spreading this message of hope.
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Hello Ben,
I found out about your Atlantic crossing back in 1998. In july 16,1998, I was trying to clear my mind in Butterlfy Valley, Turkey right after I graduated film school. What you were trying to accomplish blew my mind because I know how hard it is to keep at it when you swim long distances. Swimming across Atlantic Ocean, pheeww. I could not even even imagine that.
I grew up in Canakkale (City of Helen_Dardanelles_) and we used to swim across the Canakkale straight quite often when I was a kid. I grew up with single mother and I used to catch octopus and conger eel to suport the family when I was 5 years old and after.
I moved to States in October 1998 to learn English so I can work with a documentary filmmaker. We are supposed to follow and ancient king route from Black Sea to Fiji Islands. The documentary film maker sold his cameras, house to get the boat built but the project failed due to inner politics of TV channel owners. Loooong story.
I washed dishes, drove trucks, bartended, waited tables, played music, did real estate appraisals, real estate sales, worked on commercial sets.
There was a time I opened a small sandwich and salad shop, worked at Starbucks and bartended, released music CDs all at once working 100 plus hours.
One day, on top floor of the New York building in a Boss suit in Chicago, it struck me.
What was I doing selling real estate ? What and why did I do all the things I have done since I have been in to States? Just to survive ?
It was time for me to go back to what I loved doing.
Go back to water, go back to filming.
My wife and I packed everything, sold all the furniture and moved to New Orleans in 2007.
I spent my last money on the camera equipment and went out to wetlands to film wildlife. Found a job as a card dealer at Harrahs so I could pay my bills.
I contacted the non profit organizations and got in touch with the Gulf Restoration Network. Bought me books so I can learn how to edit on the computer. Last time I cut a film was on an old Umatic deck with scissors, swords and duck tapes:)
With GRN, we started to put mini docs on clear cutting cypress trees, Mississippi River Diversion, Menhaden, Dead Zone. Some of them was shown to legislation. We made difference and that was good.
When BP Oil Spill happened, GRN got in touch with Tim Robbins and he volunteered to narrate our episodes on the spill called Gulf Tides. Pearl Jam came along and gave us money to produce the episodes. The episodes appeared on Pearl Jam, REM, Rise Against websites. I also sent footage to Katee Sackhoff and Tricia Helfer from Galactica so they can put their doc out to make some noise as well. You can see the Gulf Tides episodes on youtube.
Google Ocean put several of the mini docs on to their database. You can see them on Google Earth.
In the mean time, me and my friend Mike Lane produced 44 1 hr shows on fishing and cooking that went on both local and national channels. I passed out couple of times trying to get the show ready , cut the documantaries, deal cards but it was all good. I had wto surgeries that put me in the bed for 3 months. I had no income coming besides my wife’s. I still cut the show and delayed the 2nd surgery so I can get the show ready for the airtime. I also do behind the scenes, EPK packages for movies and DP documentaries. Matter of fact, I am going to Houston to DP a shoot soon and going to 3 day off shore trip this weekend.
I did all this while I was dealing cards at the casino.
I still deal cards at the casino. If somebody would have told me all this in advance, I would have not believed it, but we did it.
This country thought me that if you work hard and keep at it, you can influence people so the goodness can spread. Just follow your dreams and do it. That got me going.
Your endurance, persistance, will power, determination and soul gives me the hope when I feel weak at times.
Thank you so much for keeping the Hope up for the entire planet.
United States was built upon these characteristics making it to be the most dynamic society in the world. Now, the planet and its inhabitant are going through hard times. It is time for United States to showcase its building blocks and bring hope to the entire planet.
You are doing it for everybody Ben.
Thank you for that.
7 billion souls wil be with you during your journey.
Have a great journey.
Best,
Gino Gonenc Kalkanoglu
For the past few of years, I have been a college student, freelance jack-of-all-trades, aspiring director of photographer/cinematographer, and filmmaker doing what I can to make ends meet and be true to the creative and artistic path I have chosen.
The challenges and demands of pursuing my dream have sometimes been tremendous and discouraging: doubters and naysayers, various “isms” and “ists”, tough economic times, living paycheck to paycheck, wrestling with myself about getting a “real job” and more. The term “starving artist” is perhaps an extreme, but there are times when I have been close. Ha ha.
My saving grace is the friendships and people I have met who genuinely care and help me. People who have held me up and encouraged me.
I am inspired by Ben pursuing his dream and how he trains, the intense focus and determination needed to swim and endure 5500 miles of ocean, and his heart to unite and motivate people.
In the same way, I take inspiration and time to focus on my career and spend time thinking and planning and preparing for greater things to come and taking each day as it comes one step at a time. Ben’s swim keeps me motivated in my own life.
The road to success and a fulfilled life are long, but I have begun my journey, I am moving forward, and I am enjoying every moment.
Thanks for the inspiration, Ben!
As a publisher, I find that it’s hard to stay afloat. Advertising drives my business. It’s hard to find advertisers. People are careful how they spend money and where they spend it. And this is a sign that people are barely making it.
My greatest fear is failure. I do everything I can to survive, yet at times it’s almost impossible to think that I would make it. I would rather try and fail than not try at all. I imagine what it would be like if we all did not try. I keep telling myself that I’m not alone and I have every reason to continue growing my business. I know there are many business owners out there doing what I’m doing. I pray every day for things to get better. It can’t get worse than this.
Ben is such an inspiration. I’m inspired by just the thought of him swimming 5,500 miles across the Pacific. What an incredible journey – a vision bigger than his dreams. Now, that’s commitment! Thank you Ben for caring!
In 2007 before the housing market crashed and when Foxton went belly up, being a full time real estate agent then my fellow agent friends and myself looked at each other with blank stares and silence because we knew it, we knew things were about to get worse. After the market crashed sellers weren’t being realistic and wouldn’t drop their house prices, they were in denial of the whole market shift and selling homes was starting to get difficult.
Then by the time the sellers finally started realizing that their homes weren’t getting offers and decided to lower their prices, it was too late. The economy had effected the buyers ability to purchase a home due to job loss or decrease in income. So now we had upside down homes, short sales galore, too much inventory and nothing moving.
This started to effect my income, big time. At the same time my income decreased, in Nov. 2008 my husband’s company closed down and he was placed in another division that his boss owned. The location was farther away from our home, leaving us with a higher gas bill. We were lucky he didn’t get laid off altogether, but he received a huge income decrease with this transfer even though my husband was doing the same exact job he did at his other location.
After a few months of blowing through any reserves we had the inevitable happened. We were unable to afford our mortgage. We tried tirelessly to work with our bank before that occured in order to be proactive by asking for an interest reduction, but hit road block after road block. Even the bank that originally held our note got bought out by one of the big banks, which ultimately turned our entire situation into an even bigger nightmare for us.
In 2009 I had to think quick so I started working from my home to try to supplement the income loss we incurred. Within a few months I was able to supplement the income enough to start paying our mortgage again but by then the bank didn’t want our money as we were now in foreclosure. After almost 2 years of fighting with our bank, my husband was fortunate enough within that time to find a new job closer to home and for better pay. Along with my new career working from home, we were able to bounce back on our feet and save our home. We could have walked away from the house like so many others have, but we didn’t. We stuck to it and fought for what was ours. Our three children love our home and we didn’t everything we possibly could to save it, and that we did.
Your swim reminds me of the fight we fought. I applaud you for taking on a challenge and a personal goal you want to achieve. The fact that you are swimming as a symbol of inspiration is beautiful to me and I thank you. I was there too once, struggling, and I just wanted to share my story in case anyone reads this and might be going through what I did. It will get better, just don’t give up.
Thank you Ben for your courage, you truly are an inspiration.
I just wanted to share my story of how my husband left me and I was left with the house and two children, both under the age of 7 and then got laid off from my job. Through great struggle yet determination and motivation I made it through, but it was a very scary couple of years.
I got another job that although didn’t pay as much as my other one I was able to cut back here and there and then was able to get a second job to make up the difference. I did it for my kids, they are my world.
So I wanted to stop by and thank you for putting yourself through this swim you are to do and wishing you the best, you can do it, I did.
Moet de kattenbak schoonmaken en heb daar geen zin in. Zit dus de tijd uit te stellen op internet.
Kom ik een site tegen van deze gast. Hij heeft ooit van amerika naar frankrijk gezwommen. Nu wil hij van Japan naar amerika zwemmen!!
My dear friend, Zenaida Martin passed away just over one year ago from that dreaded disease (CANCER). She loved the Lord and blessed countlees number of people with her faith and positivity. While everyone wanted to do something to help, she instead would inspire them with her life of courage and complete dedication to her LORD. She leaves here a husband, 6 children, mother extended family and friends who know exactly where she is…………..the arms of Jesus! We love you "Z".
About 6 years ago it was August 24, 2005 my son was taken to Children’s Medical Center because he was urinating blood clots. I thought this could be a simple fix but we were in for a long and challenging experience. My son underwent chemotherapy, radiation and also underwent two surgeries that left him with one kidney. My son was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor which affect the kidneys in children/ My son endured this for almost nine months. I also had two younger children at the time which were 8 weeks old and 3years old. Many nights my son would hurt and cry and there was always the inner feeling that I wish I could do so much more for him and I wish I could take away the pain. Then the following year in 2006 the father of my babies was diagnosed with Lukemia. This was even more devastating, because then my son started to question me and ask me was he going to die. Many times I would just sit and cry and just pray. I told my son that God allowed him to live for a reason that He is going to be ok that God has a plan for him and that he is going to fulfill the road map that God has set out for him. Then July 22, 2011 I received a call from Lewisville Medical Center that I needed to come to the hospital and bring my babies because it could be the last time that we see their father alive. All I could do is cry and pray. As we went to see him all that replays in my mind is that his last words were “Lovie don’t leave me” Lovie is what my family and friends call me, and my babies were giving their daddy a hug and telling him they love him and crying. As I took my babies to my friends and came back to hold his hand I was with him until he took his last breath, I pray that one day there can be a cure for this deadliest disease and if I can do something to help I want to reach out and help. God bless you all.
Lafonda, thank you for sharing your story. Your strength is a true inspiration for me. Ben