An 18-year-old senior high school student from New Zealand has been praised and earned the respect of many people all over the world. This happened after he delivered his memorable and inspirational valedictory speech during Christchurch Boy's High School Senior Prize Giving 2015 on Nov. 4. His video was uploaded online and it has since gone viral.
The teenager is Jake Bailey, Senior Monitor of his school. His speech was especially moving and touched a lot of people because he was diagnosed with Burkitts non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a very aggressive form of cancer, just a week before graduation, as reported by The Guardian.
In his speech, he recounted how he had to rewrite what he'd already prepared after learning that he's terminally-ill and was told that he only has few weeks left to live. He also said that the doctors wouldn't let him attend the graduation, due to his condition and he was undergoing intensive chemotherapy.
"I wrote a speech and then a week before I was due to deliver the speech tonight, they said 'you've got cancer.' They said, 'if you don't get any treatment within the next three weeks you're going to die.' And then they told me I wouldn't be here tonight to deliver that speech."
But he managed to come despite how sick he was. The crowd stood up when Bailey entered the stage on a wheelchair and wearing his school uniform. He appeared to be a bit emotional but was calm. And when he started to talk, the strength and power he put in in delivering his speech was totally exceptional.
One of the most notable things he said was, "None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be great, be gracious, and be grateful for the opportunities you have."
He also urged his classmates not to give up even if things are difficult by saying: "Moral strength is about making a conscious decision to be a person who doesn't give up when it would be easy to, to be lesser because the journey is less arduous."
In concluding his speech, Bailey thanked his mentors, teachers, and parents, and advised everyone to live in the present rather than looking into the faraway future.
"The future is truly in our hands. Forget about having long-term dreams. Let's be passionately dedicated to the pursuit of short-term goals."
"Work with pride on what is in front of us. We don't know where we might end up. Or when it might end up. I don't know where it goes from here, for any of us.. But I wish you the very best in your journey and I thank you for being part of mine," he said.
Following his speech, Nic Hill, the School Principal related to stuff.co.nz, "I have prepared to deliver the speech on Mr Bailey's behalf, until he arrived himself. It was great that Jake was reading it instead of me. I know how sick he is and I was amazed at how strongly he spoke. He is strong and there is just a spark about him. He is just rock solid, with x-factor."
