The Greatness Within

By Doreen Marion Gee

Over twenty years ago, a remarkable young man rode into Beijing in a wheelchair on a tour de force ride around the world to raise money for people with spinal cord injuries. Rick Hansen's herculean feat changed forever how we think about human potential. A new movie, Heart of a Dragon, zooms in on two days of Hansen's Man In Motion World Tour. It shows up close his victory over human limitations making his tortuous climb up the Great Wall of China. This movie captures our hearts and leaves us transformed and inspired. Rick Hansen taught us a lot about courage under adversity and the power of the human spirit. But Hansen also challenged us to see that human possibilities are endless and within each of us is the potential for greatness. "We can all be giants" is the pivotal line that drives this film.

I was like a giddy starstruck teenager meeting the well-known director, Michael French, and the renowned actor and musician, Jim Byrnes. They both talked excitedly about the true meaning of Heart of a Dragon. I felt at ease in the presence of the charming and amiable director with the soft manner and silky voice. Heart of a Dragon is a twenty-year labour of love for Michael French. Hansen's story has captured French's soul ever since he saw the athlete's triumphant welcome in China. French considers Rick Hansen is 'every man.' "We all have some kind of disability," remarks the director. To explain his mystifying statement, French says that many people are disabled by the very limitations they put on themselves. The director wants his audiences to hear his vital message: Just like Hansen, every person has some kind of mental obstacle to overcome, but within all of us is the courage and power to meet those challenges, triumph over them and pursue our hopes and dreams.

photo by Doreen Marion Gee

Jim Byrnes radiates gentle strength and warmth. His brown eyes sparkle with fun and a gritty sharpness of mind. He captivates me with his tales of exotic China with references to playing his guitar under an evening sky amidst the thick syrupy scent of lotus blossoms. Byrnes relishes those fleeting moments of sensual bliss. He is passionate about the movie, where he plays a cynical reporter. When it comes to the concept of disability, Byrnes does not believe in an "us and them" scenario. He feels that many people have invisible handicaps and emotional struggles that can hold them back. Losing his legs in an accident has never shaken Byrnes' cocksure confidence in himself. He says that he just naturally knows that he can do anything he wants. Like the director, he hopes the movie will drive home the message that we are all the same in having challenges to deal with, but we can still reach for the stars. As an accomplished actor and musician, Byrnes is a living testament to his own words.

A core value in this movie is how crucial other people are to our success. In Rick Hansen's grueling climb up the steps of the Great Wall of China, every inch forward was a sweat-soaked, painful ordeal. When he made the agonizing decision to allow his friends to carry him, Hansen realized how much the help of his friends propelled his Man in Motion dream.

Heart of a Dragon is an astonishing movie. The palpable splendour of oriental landscapes and the riveting story are only usurped by the lesson between the lines. It is all about limitless human possibilities and the infinite potential in each of us to touch the sky, make a mark on this world and realize our dreams. This call to action is Rick Hansen's gift to all of us. The seeds of greatness lie within everyone, just waiting to blossom.