I would like to introduce myself as I am new to this forum and basically the video business. I was turned on to this forum a couple months ago by one of your members who did volunteer work at our local hospital.
I used to work on the runways at the airport until I was hit by a drunk driver last summer and had to have my legs amputated. Being single, I had no urgent need for insurance and I was a victim of a hit and run and the driver has still not been caught.
Losing my legs sent me in to a major bout of depression as everything in my life had changed. The little things I used to take for granted I could no longer do. I couldn't walk to the mailbox or shoot basketball with my friends. The dream of one day teaching my child to run and play ball has all but vanished. I am only 24 so I haven't had much of a chance to search for what I wanted to do as a career. Movies and films have always intersted me but I never thought I would ever have the chance to have that as a career.
Now that I have bored you with things about me, I want to give recognition to the person who has given me hope to try to fulfill my dream of being a director.
Pmasters was the volunteer who used to help out. While I was depressed, he tried everything to cheer me up. He asked what I wanted to do with the rest of my life since I had been given a second chance by the grace of God. Immediately I knew films was my calling. He would talk about movies and great films just to get me out of the funk I was in. Strangely, I felt as if I was living vacriously through his hopes and dreams.
No insurance and no driver to bring to justice, I quickly found myself with no way to support myself financially. Disability barely covers the bills and i was afraid I was stuck living hand to mouth for the rest of my life.
I shared my decision to do films for a living and Patrick was very supportive. He brought me a ton of books to read and learn during my recovery. The more I read, the more I gained an appreciation for video editing and the art of story telling. For Christmas, I was given a laptop with a copy of Vegas so I could learn how to do all the cool stuff I was reading about. That was awesome of him to do that for me.
Amazingly enough, a week ago, Pat had came to visit me after his surgery bearing more gifts. This one was the ultimate gift in it being a Sony FX1 HDV camera. My mouth salivated for the last couple months as I heard him talk about all the quality the camera puts out and more amazed when he showed me some of the footage. I was shocked since this is the camera he has jawed about and here he gets one and gives it to me.
I would like for this forum to know what an incredible human being he is. I don't think anyone has ever been that unselfish towards me other than my own parents. His act of kindness has not only given me restored faith in the human race but he has provided a man who may be disabled physically but not creatively. I read through some of his older posts and the stuff he went through when he was in FL and it brings tears to my eyes to see how he had suffered yet still chose to help someone else out before himself. He has inspired me be a better person. 4 months ago, I thought my life was over then he made me see that my life has just started.
Patrick, I know you had asked me not to make a big deal out of this but I felt it was important to share your generosity with everyone else so that you may continue to inspire everyone to continue to help their fellow man in their quest for the big screen. I truly pray that one day soon you are as blessed as I am so your projects can see the big screen like we had talked about. I do feel bad that you are sacrificing your dreams so that I may live my dreams. You are a true saint, more so a true friend. Thank you for everything and I hope you aren't upset that I shared this story with those here.
To everyone else, I hope to absorb the amount of knowledge that he has and hope to one day be able to give something back and give that knowldege to future new users. Oh yeah, please, take a moment to appreciate the things you have and your health as it can all change in a heartbeat. It will be hard for me to reach my dreams of producing a movie with my disability but I will use it as motivation to make my own success.
Somone once told me a story about a man who complained about not having any shoes then he met a man with no feet. Please cherish the gifts God has given you.
Chad Jackson
I used to work on the runways at the airport until I was hit by a drunk driver last summer and had to have my legs amputated. Being single, I had no urgent need for insurance and I was a victim of a hit and run and the driver has still not been caught.
Losing my legs sent me in to a major bout of depression as everything in my life had changed. The little things I used to take for granted I could no longer do. I couldn't walk to the mailbox or shoot basketball with my friends. The dream of one day teaching my child to run and play ball has all but vanished. I am only 24 so I haven't had much of a chance to search for what I wanted to do as a career. Movies and films have always intersted me but I never thought I would ever have the chance to have that as a career.
Now that I have bored you with things about me, I want to give recognition to the person who has given me hope to try to fulfill my dream of being a director.
Pmasters was the volunteer who used to help out. While I was depressed, he tried everything to cheer me up. He asked what I wanted to do with the rest of my life since I had been given a second chance by the grace of God. Immediately I knew films was my calling. He would talk about movies and great films just to get me out of the funk I was in. Strangely, I felt as if I was living vacriously through his hopes and dreams.
No insurance and no driver to bring to justice, I quickly found myself with no way to support myself financially. Disability barely covers the bills and i was afraid I was stuck living hand to mouth for the rest of my life.
I shared my decision to do films for a living and Patrick was very supportive. He brought me a ton of books to read and learn during my recovery. The more I read, the more I gained an appreciation for video editing and the art of story telling. For Christmas, I was given a laptop with a copy of Vegas so I could learn how to do all the cool stuff I was reading about. That was awesome of him to do that for me.
Amazingly enough, a week ago, Pat had came to visit me after his surgery bearing more gifts. This one was the ultimate gift in it being a Sony FX1 HDV camera. My mouth salivated for the last couple months as I heard him talk about all the quality the camera puts out and more amazed when he showed me some of the footage. I was shocked since this is the camera he has jawed about and here he gets one and gives it to me.
I would like for this forum to know what an incredible human being he is. I don't think anyone has ever been that unselfish towards me other than my own parents. His act of kindness has not only given me restored faith in the human race but he has provided a man who may be disabled physically but not creatively. I read through some of his older posts and the stuff he went through when he was in FL and it brings tears to my eyes to see how he had suffered yet still chose to help someone else out before himself. He has inspired me be a better person. 4 months ago, I thought my life was over then he made me see that my life has just started.
Patrick, I know you had asked me not to make a big deal out of this but I felt it was important to share your generosity with everyone else so that you may continue to inspire everyone to continue to help their fellow man in their quest for the big screen. I truly pray that one day soon you are as blessed as I am so your projects can see the big screen like we had talked about. I do feel bad that you are sacrificing your dreams so that I may live my dreams. You are a true saint, more so a true friend. Thank you for everything and I hope you aren't upset that I shared this story with those here.
To everyone else, I hope to absorb the amount of knowledge that he has and hope to one day be able to give something back and give that knowldege to future new users. Oh yeah, please, take a moment to appreciate the things you have and your health as it can all change in a heartbeat. It will be hard for me to reach my dreams of producing a movie with my disability but I will use it as motivation to make my own success.
Somone once told me a story about a man who complained about not having any shoes then he met a man with no feet. Please cherish the gifts God has given you.
Chad Jackson