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“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.”
Jimmy
Valvano, 1993 – announcing the Jimmy V Foundation
December 1-7 is Jimmy V week on ESPN. You may not know who Jimmy Valvano was, but if you have had the misfortune of knowing someone afflicted with cancer, the odds are he and his life’s mission impacted your life.
Jimmy Valvano was a successful basketball coach,
commentator, and author. He was a person
of strong conviction and personal drive.
At an early age he pulled out white index cards and began to write down
his personal goals for life. He wanted
to play high school and college basketball, he wanted to become an assistant
coach, go on to become a head coach, cut down the nets in Madison Square Garden
and win a National Championship. At age
36, he was able to pull out those cards and cross off every item on the
list. Throughout his life he developed a
personal philosophy which allowed an ordinary man to accomplish the
extraordinary. He was commented, “There
are 86,400 seconds in a day. It is up to
you to decide what to do with them.”
Jimmy V chose to cherish and make the most of each one.
After accomplishing his goals on the basketball court, he
explored new directions from writing to commentating. He was not interested in limiting himself to
a single profession. He embraced
diversity in his life and his interests.
In 1993, Jimmy Valvano was given an obstacle that would
prove to be his most difficult. He was diagnosed
with cancer. The cancer proved to be too
much for him to personally overcome, but through his vision and passion he has
inspired and continues to inspire funding for education and research to cure
cancer. At the time of his diagnosis,
cancer was an underfunded and devastating disease. His charismatic and infectious attitude
towards life and easy appeal to people made him an ideal person to raise the
awareness of cancer and its impacts on our world and to raise arms to find a
way to cure cancer. While no cure has
been found, through continued research many forms of treatment have been
developed. The Jimmy V Foundation has
risen over $100 million in the past 20 years to fund cancer awareness and
research.
Jimmy V is an inspiring person. His attitude towards life, even in the face
of overwhelming obstacles is something to admire.
Below is a video clip from the 1993 ESPY awards when he
received the Arthur Ashe award for Courage.
During his speech he announces the Jimmy V Foundation. This is a must see!!!
Below are the highlights from the 1983 National
Championship. It was one of the most
exciting endings the tournament has ever seen.
What do you think of Jimmy Valvano, his life and his
mission? If I gave you five index cards to write down your goals and dreams for
your life, what would you write down?
Jimmy V really simplified what it means to live. He did what he wanted and loved it. him mentioning the amount of seconds in a day, 86,400 in fact, shows his determination to live life to the fullest. On one of my note cards, there would be engineering on the top as an occupation and going to Syracuse University. As far as that, I haven't decided.
ReplyDeleteFor my other three, I definitely want to KIT with my current friends, OO back to living in NY, and, this sounds silly, do something to change the world.
DeleteGo
DeleteI think that Jimmy V's life was inspiring. He just wrote his goals on some note cards, and then did them! He also didn't limit himself to one profession, he did a lot of them. He was also very enthusiastic in what he did. For my note cards, I would want to put: Go to M.I.T college, and get two master degrees. I don't really know what the rest of my note card would have on them. I really liked this blog Mr. Grant.
ReplyDeleteFor my final three items, I want to play college golf, I want to write a book, and I want to keep in-touch with all of my friends through out my life.
Delete(5)
Jimmy V is an inspiration. He wanted to help others that were fighting the same battle as him. He spoke from the heart and did not care about how much time he had left. Only about what he did with it. My notecards would be 1. Finish high school with all A's 2. Get into the college of my choice (whatever it will eventually be) 3. Graduate from college 4. Become an elementary school teacher and 5. Maybe write a book.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Valvano is a man who stayed true to his heart and lived a full and happy life. He kept his goals a little far fetched, and them worked hard to achieve them. Throughout his life he stayed true to what he believed in: his family, his religion, and his team. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he didn't see it as a chance to die; he saw it as a chance to LIVE. And that is exactly what he did. He didn't mope around and pity himself, he got out there and took a stand, in hopes that someday others would not have to die the death he did. If I had to write five notecards as to what I wanted to do with my life, mine would probably be: (1) finish middle school and high school while achieving the level of success I am proud of, (2) go on to college and studying in a profession I love, not that I feel I need to do, (3) continue to do the things I love, (4) always staying true to my family and friends, and (5) become successful from being who I am, not who they want me to be.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Valvano is an incredible inspiration. I had never heard of him before this blog post and is a great role model. He wasn't wanting people to donate money for him. He wanted them to donate money to help others. I love the part in the first video where he says that time is very valuable and we shouldn't waste any of it. That makes me think f how many times we trudge through our daily lives. We often get upset with our normal every day routines, but wee never change them to make the most of the time we have. I was truely inspired by Jimmy V and his speech. On my five index cards would be (1) play basketball in high school and college and make the most of every second that I am on the court (2) Become a pediatric Physical Therapist and always go to a job that I love, not to "work". (3)Stay true to who I am, and not let other people decide that for me (4) Be a good friend and person to everybody. Always smile at a stranger when they smile at you in a grocery store. (5) And lastly not take my anger out on people who have done anything to me. I have realized that life is to short to be unhappy with who you have become. Life is to short to be angry all of the time.Time is precious-make it last.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Valvano was a man who didn't give up on his dreams, no matter what the situation was. He was persistent, determined, and sprightly. After listening to that speech, I think that it will be a perennial classic nationwide. He was so strong in his months of cancer, and he cared about the players like they were his family which I think is an inspiration to coaches and players everywhere. I also really like what he said about cancer. How it didn't change him, it just made him value every minute even more. If I had 5 flashcards to write down my life goals, I would say:
ReplyDelete1) Finish school. Middle School, High School, and College with good grades and experiences that I wish could last an entire lifetime.
2) Go into a field of work that I am passionate about. Your passion isn't work, its what you love to do. I don't know what I want to do with my life yet, but I know that I want to do something that will better the world and other people.
3) Never give up on things that I love. Whether it be people, sports, objects, experiences, or animals, my goal is to always stay true to myself so that I can be there for others if they fall. If I go through a rough patch with someone, I won't just give up and leave them there, I will be there for them through it all.
4) Find people in my life who will be there for me. Life is too short to have "friends" that will leave you for popularity. My goal is to find out who my real friends are, not only in school, but throughout my entire life. No matter what they look like or who they are, I will find people who will stand by me and help me back up when I've fallen.
5) My final, and most important goal to me, is that I step out of my comfort zone. Don't' stick with the same people all the time, branch out! Life isn't long enough for you to stand in the corner because you are afraid of what might happen to you. So go for it! Even if you find people that you don't mix with very well, then at least you will have tried.
Jimmy Valvano is a man that you can't always find in life. Just this morning for our RTR in reading, we were sent to think about the word hope. Some people said that hope is a non- existent goal, but to me this is exactly what motivated Jimmy to achieve these massive monuments in his life. My goals for life are bigger than what most people could dream of.
ReplyDelete1. Live the rest of my life with absolutely no regrets, and when I die I can look over my shoulder and into my past and say, I have no regrets, it is my time to kick the bucket.
2. Be friends with everyone, especially the ones who treat me with affection that is real, not false. People who dislike my crazy, funny, weird and honest personality can find someone they do like, it can't affect me.
3. Become a nurse or a doctor as my profession, I know it is a big dream but I want to change the world and help people who need it. I want to be the one person who is talked about, " Oh, she changed my life!"
4. Complete my school work with A's and B's.
5. What I really want to accomplish isn't perfection but the real way of life. Everybody has an opinion, mine? To block the darkness and follow the light. Get out of the trash and move into the cabinet.
Jimmy Valvano is an inspiring person with lots of perseverance. Despite obstacles, he doesn't give up. He spent his time wisely and did not waste a minute of it. For my five index cards, this is what I would write down:
ReplyDelete1) When I grow up, I hope to go to a good college with music so I can pursue my dream.
2) I want to travel to London, England and Adelaide, Canberra, and Sydney, Australia to experience different cultures.
3) I want to make the most of my education this year and later on.
4) Block out negativity and make the right choices in my life.
5) Be a really kind and encouraging friend.
Jimmy Valvano is an inspiring person because he had a tough life because of his cancer. Since he had cancer he did not give up at all. He spent his time wisely. Five things for goals and dreams are that
ReplyDelete1) I want to be a good person to everybody
2) I want to go to Ireland. The Basque Country, and Europe.
3) Want to do good in school for this year.
4) Be a good friend
5) Make right choices in my life forever.
Jimmy V really painted the picture on what it was like to be a positive person. He is so inspiring because even though he was eventually going to die he always looked on the bright side.
ReplyDelete1) I wan't to be nice to everyone
2) I want to connect more with my Basque culture
3)Help people when they need it
4) go to college
5) Get a good job
I think that Jimmy V's story is very inspiring. To be so determinated that you want to make the best of life with cancer is quite amazing. I think that when most people get to that stage in life they just want to shut down and let their life pass before their eyes. Taking advantage of the situation he was in, and the important figure that he was is quite amazing. Especially since he made it possible for those with cancer to suffer less is remarkable.
ReplyDeleteIf I were given 5 index cards to write down what I want to accomplish in my life, those index cards would have:
1) Go to an IV League College
2) Make it to nationals in my swimming career
3) Be more self-conscious of how I treat others
4) Help the poor and needy more often
5) Become a doctor to help those who are ill
I mainly want to do these things because I believe that they will help me to live a life that will contribute to the world. Some of these goals are the things that will help me get there, while others ARE the things that I want to achieve.
I think Jimmy Valvano is a nice an positive person and his life mission is good. My goals and dreams would be
ReplyDelete1. Become a singer/celebrity (like Katy Perry)
2. Change the world
3. Be rich and famous so I can give a lot back to the poor and homeless
4. Stay true to who I am and not let anyone, not even Hollywood, change me
P.S. my singing carer is rn in the making! #excited ;)
Jimmy Valvano seemed to be a very happy, energetic, and outgoing person. He did not let something as big as cancer get in his way of living a meaningful life. He said that we should all try to laugh, cry, and think everyday, and I totally agree. In order to feel happiness, you must experience pain is what I think is important. No one can truly feel any emotion, unless they have felt the opposite of it. I have 5 goals in mind and here they are.
ReplyDelete1. I need to understand the meaning of life, and live it to the fullest. That means that I can't be afraid and I can't have regrets.
2. I want to travel the world, this may take a few years to understand other cultures, but I am ready to accept that challenge.
3. I want to meet new people and make new friends, but never forget the ones that I have now because they mean so much to me.
4. I want to try and be happy every single day, no matter what life throws at me. This means that I am going to smile, laugh, and have a good time.
5. I am going to treat myself to whatever or whoever makes me happy.
I think jimmy Valvano is a man who lived life to the fullest and he inspired many people. He was always able to look on the bright side even though his life was going to end soon. I think his quote, Focus on your family, religion and your team was really inspiring. The five things i want to do in life are...
ReplyDelete1.Graduate college
2.Get a job I will love
3.Be kid to everyone I meet
4.Learn to speak a different language
5.Be a good friend
Jimmy Valvano is an inspiration to me. No matter what life gave him, he always stayed positive, and thought of others before himself. Even though his life was short, he made the most out of it. Writing down goals for your life is a great idea. It keeps you determined and focused. Here are my goals:
ReplyDelete1) Be nice to everyone I meet, and treat them with respect.
2) Finish middle school, high school, and college being proud of what I have accomplished.
3) Travel to different places of the world. I want to experience diverse cultures and ways of life.
4) Treat myself with respect and be proud of who I am.
5) Own a dog.
This man was a true example for all. People who face Obstacles like that and who stay positive are heroes. It must be really hard and hats off to him.
ReplyDeletemy goals for life are
1. Get good grades and go to Notre Dame for college.
2. Become a journalist or lawyer
3. help the lost souls in america
4. Eventually run for gov. or president
5. Stop abortion
I think he is a very good guy and I like his way of life. I like how he will not let anything bring him down and he will strive to get what he wants done, no matter how hard it is. I like the idea of his life mission and I think he is a very inspiring person. If you were give me 5 index cards and write down goals for life these would be them
ReplyDelete1. Win a high school state championship for basketball
2. Get a college scholarship
3. Play college basketball
4. Play professional basketball
5. Be smart with money and raise a family
Jimmy V is a great inspiration. He teaches us a great lesson, life is short. Use what you have and make the best of it. For all you know you will die tomorrow. Live every day as if it is the last. Most people (including myself) take life for granted, we wish the week would just end so we can go to that one party etcetera. Others, know what it is to live life and cherish every second because they may not have that much time left to live. We can listen all we want to Jimmy V, but it goes right out the other ear. We do no really hear and understand the lesson he is trying to portray until we experience it ourselves.
ReplyDeleteJimmy knew what he wanted from the start. He set his goals and through his daily activities got closer and closer to obtaining success. He was determined and went under and over the obstacles that got in his way. When he was faced with caner, he faced it head on and instead of cowering in fear he did something about it. Jimmy raised awareness, and although he knew he would most likely be unable to save himself, he still set out to save other lives. He wanted to make a change and that he did.
If I were to have five index cards to write down my goals, the goals would include:
1. Keep a 4.0 average to allow myself to have a variety of colleges to choose from
2. Become a doctor/chef
3. Stay unique
4. Not give under peer pressure
5. Be optimistic rather than pessimistic
Those are the five main goals I have at the moment. Some may change (careers), while others may be added. In the long run they will all have one thing in common, I will try my best to achieve them and I will know that I did the most I was able to do. Life is a gift, it can be gone in a moment, cherish it. Just always make good choices!
4. Not BREAK under peer pressure
DeleteJimmy is a great guy. He tells us that don't sit and watch TV, go outside and do something. life is short, experience it while you can.
ReplyDelete1. finish High School
2. finish college
3. work for Google
4. buy a auto shop and build hot rods
5. retire rich
Those are my goals. I might change them soon.
I think that his goals were a great thing that he used to inspire himself.
ReplyDelete1. Do my best at everything I do.
2. Go to collage.
3. Become a fashion designer.
4. Travel the world
5. Make the most of life.
Jimmy V seems like an amazing person. Jimmy seems to care more about the real world not gossip. I think that it is amazing what he has done. He lived every day loving everything and everyone. He knows how it feels when you are approaching you last days. We don't. He understands what we should do.
ReplyDeleteMy top five goals in life are ...
1. Stay true to who I am.
2. Spend as much time as possible with my family
3. Do good in the working field.
4. Live everyday like it is my last
5. Do something amazing in this world.
Jimmy is a great example to all generations. I think that he made a big effect on the world because he was famous already, because I think that lots of people have done that and not been recognized for it. I don't look at it as life is short so make the best of it, I think that life is long enough for you to make changes, and the life that you lead now determines after you die. I am really inspired that he accomplished all of his goals. Here is what I want to do with my life.
ReplyDelete(1) when I look back on the choices that I made, not regret them
(2) Focus on others more than myself
(3) Graduate from college and go into a job that I love
(4) Find what truly makes me happy, and do it all the time
(5) Help others such as the disabled
Jimmy was a great man that did what he preeched, never give up, have a good attitude, and care about what you do, give it a meaning. He taught people how to push foward especialy in hard times, example him fighting with cancer. He loved what he did being a basketball coach, he had a meaning to it, it was his life. He was a family man, he may have had a lot to do in basketball but he was always there for his family. I would like to know many things in life but here are 5 of them...
ReplyDelete1) I would like to play in the MLB or have a job I love.
2)Understand what the meaning of life is and why we are all here.
3)I would like to help people fight through tough times like Jimmy did.
4)I would like to grow up and raise a family after graduating from college.
5) I want to travle to countreis around the world and help people there that are in need of anything.
Jimmy was very inspirational. He wanted to make his life the best it could be. He got cancer, but he still tried to be happy and enjoy everything he had. He loved his life and everyone in it. And every second he tried to make everything better.
ReplyDelete1. Graduate high school with a scholarship
2. Go to college.
3. Travel the world, and all 50 states
4. Become a teacher or journalist
5. Move to Montana, and have a family
To me Jimmy Valvano is an inspiration to so many people with cancer or people who know someone with cancer. he has done so many great things for the world and everyone was lucky to have him. Here are some of my goals.
ReplyDelete1. Follow God and try to act like him in everything I do.
2.Finish up school with good grades and have a career that I love.
3. Become a sports Analyst for ESPN.
4. Have a family and spend as much time with them as I can.
5.Go on a once in a lifetime hunt anywhere in the world.
Jimmy Valvano is inspirational and summed up what it really means to live life to the fullest. He did so many things in the world and we should be thankful that we have him. Here are some of my goals.
ReplyDelete1.Try to be more Christlike everyday.
2.Have a good job that I enjoy.
3. Go to college.
4.Go to the Basque Country.
5.Be myself and not let people change me.
I think Jimmy Valvano is one of the most inspiring people ever. He is an amazing person both on and of the court and I wish he was here to talk about it. I've learned a lot about Jimmy Valvano because I've researched him and took in interest in him. I learned a lot from the ESPN 30 for 30 'Survive and Advance' where you can learn more about him and the 1983 NC State team.
ReplyDeleteMy goals are:
1.Have good health at least most of my life
2.Like Jimmy V said, laugh, cry, and think everyday.
3.Make everyone dear to me in my life know for certain that I love them very much and always will.
4.Become a television color man like Dick Vitale and Brent Musberger after, of course, I have a lasting career in the NBA.
5.Be remembered
The Speech is very inspiring, Honestly I don't think his life goal is to be a great coach, I think his life goal is to be inspiring. If I got Five index cards I would have:
ReplyDelete1. Get a job
2. Inspire people
4. Make the world a better place
5. And be happy
Jimmy Valvano was an amazing and inspiring guy. It sounds like he lived life to the fullest and didn't regret any of it. He inspired many people to try harder and be a better person. My cards would say:
ReplyDelete1. Live every year to the fullest because you are only that age for so long.
2. Do my best in school and get a job where people depend on me and I make a difference in the world.
3. Do what I love with people I love
4. Go to a college I deserve to be in and try my best to focus
5. Help others as much as they have helped me
I think he was a very inspirational guy who had an amazing life story. I think a lot of people should look up to him because he is such a good role model. I think when he died he died with dignity and knowing that he had lived his life to the fullest without dying with any regrets.
ReplyDeleteMy 5 cards would be:
1. To try my best in anything I do even if I fail.
2. To play football in high school and maybe even college.
3. To forgive and be kind to others.
4. To be happy even if things don't go my way
5. An to die with no regrets and to live my life to the fullest knowing I wouldn't change anything I did earlier in my life.
I would agree with most of the other people in this class and I think that he is very inspirational and lived a very great life. He is a great role model and we could use more of them in the sports realm. Now a days all we hear about is domestic abuse and drug use in the sports area. I believe that everything he did, he did it with all he had.
ReplyDeleteMy five goals are...
1. Graduate from both highschool and college
2. Attempt to play sports in high school and college
3. Marry and have children
4. Be respectful to others even when hardest
5. Die knowing that there is nothing I could have done better
I think that Jimmy Valvano is a good man that has a lot of great missions/goals. I think that we should all consider what he said in the first video. He has a lot of good life lessons to look at anda lot of things that others need to take in. He is a great insperation.
ReplyDeleteMy five goals for my life and years are...
1. To never give up and always keep going no matter what.
2. Always put others before me and never let anyone feel left out or unaccomplished.
3. Never give up on school and try my hardest.
4. When I die know think that I am going to heaven not hell and know that I hve accomplished all of me goels and not regret.
5. Give my heart to everything no matter what it is.
I think that Jimmy Valvano is an inspiation that he gave a great speach and has don some incredible things
ReplyDeletethe five things I wuldd put down would be
(1) Live life to the fullest
(2) Forget the past and focus on the fuure
(3) dont hold grudges
(4) thank people fo beleving in me
(5) scuba in every ocean, and lake there is
Jimmy Valvano, is a saint. Truly and honestly, I had no idea who he was, and I should hae. This guy is so incredibly passionate about how he feel and what he does, it is heartbreaking he had to be taken by such a disease. And not only did he surrender to the fact that he was dying from cancer, he started his own foundation for people that are doing the same thing. He wasn't angry and bitter and lonely and pessimistic and pathetic, he was kind and thoughtful, and he did what had to be done. Now that, is worth remembering.
ReplyDelete1. Be wild, and bright, and happy, and alive, because I am, not because I am entitled to be.
2. Stand up for what I believe in, and really mean it.
3. Stand Out. Completely and fully be whoever I want to be, and be thankful i am.
4. Do something that matters. I want to inspire, and not indirectly. I want to make someone, everyone, feel special, and be happy that they mean something to someone.
5. Die knowing that I, just like Jimmy, lived a life worth remembering.
I think Jimmy Valvano was very inspiring to a lot of people. He had a very great life and is missed. Five things I would put on a list to do when I grow up are:
ReplyDelete1. Get into a good college.
2. Work at Apple.
3. Don't look back. Keep going forward.
4. Never give up.
5. Live at the fullest.
Jimmy Volvano sounds like a kind person. He had many great goals and I think that he should be recognized more. Five goals for my life are:
ReplyDelete1. Embrace my Catholic faith
2. Get into Johns Hopkins College
3. Get to have my dream job, to be a neurosurgeon
4. To have a successful life
5. Retire with lots of money
Jimmy Volvano is a very inspiring and kind person. I didn't know who he was at first but he's worth remembering. He loved what he did and was very caring. My five goals would be is to go to collage, to work at a job I love, always be kind and happy, have a family, and have no regrets.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Valvano was a person who always had others come before himself. He never was selfish and always made the decision that would help the other people. I have heard and know a lot about Jimmy V because of my Dad and my brothers always talking about him. My Five life goals are:
ReplyDelete1. Graduate form California, University or Colorado, or Santa Clara
2. Become a pro soccer player
3. Become a coach
4. Live everyday like its my last
5. Love
Jimmy V. is truly an inspiring person. He fought through all of his pain and acted like it wasn't there. He always thought about other people and wasn't selfish. Before writing this I didn't know who he was, but I will never forget who he is now because he is such an amazing and an inspiring man to learn about. My five goals are:
ReplyDelete1. Go to college st ND or GU
2. Become a vet
3. Have a family
4. Be a good friend to everyone
5. FIGHT LIKE A GIRL!!!!!