Jake Bailey was a high school senior at Christchurch Boys’ High School in New Zealand when he was tasked with writing a speech for graduation. Just weeks before he was going to deliver the speech, he was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors told him he had three weeks to live without treatment and would never deliver his final speech, but he did, with a powerful message.
Bailey talks about moral strength and how it is a power that helps people never give up. He speaks about the sheer power of human will and the strength it can give us.
Bailey’s most powerful line comes at the 10:05 mark, when he says:
“None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be great, be gracious, and be grateful for the opportunities you have”
Jake Bailey has a hidden message in his speech. He wants us to evaluate and take every opportunity we are given. He wants us not to worry just about ourselves but about others and the things that matter most. I know it’s hard to do a speech like this justice by regurgitating what Bailey said, so watch for yourselves. Think about the things and the people that matter most to you in your life, and remember to never stop fighting.
