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Subject: Man Without a Face
Here is a true story by Paul Harvey. Pass it to anyone who you think
would find it interesting and inspiring. You will be surprised who
this young man turns out to be. (Do not look at the bottom of this
letter until you have read it fully)
Years ago a hardworking man took his family from New York State
to Australia to take advantage of a work opportunity there. Part of
this man's family was a handsome young son who had aspirations of
joining the circus as a trapeze artist or an actor. This young
fellow, biding his time until a circus job or even one as a stagehand
came along,worked at the local shipyards which bordered on the worse
section of town.
Walking home from work one evening this young man was attacked by
five thugs who wanted to rob him. Instead of just giving up his money
the young fellow resisted. However they bested him easily and
proceeded to beat him to a pulp. They mashed his face with their
boots, and kicked and beat his body brutally with clubs, leaving him
for dead.
When the police happened to find him lying in the road they assumed he
was dead and called for the Morgue Wagon. On the way to the morgue a
policeman heard him gasp for air, and they immediately took him to the
emergency unit at the hospital. When he was placed on a gurney a nurse
remarked to her horror, that this young man no longer had a face. Each
eye socket was smashed, his skull, legs, and arms fractured, his nose
literally hanging from his face, all his teeth were gone, and his jaw
was almost completely torn from his skull.
Although his life was spared, he spent over a year in the >hospital.
When he finally left, his body may have healed but his face was
disgusting to look at. He was no longer the handsome youth that
everyone admired.
When the young man started to look for work again he was turned down
by everyone just on account of the way he looked. One potential
employer suggested to him that he join the freak show at the circus as
The Man Who Had No Face. And he did this for a while.
He was still rejected by everyone and no one wanted to be seen in his
company. He had thoughts of suicide. This went on for five years. One
day he passed a church and sought some solace there. Entering the
church he encountered a priest who had saw him sobbing while kneeling
in a pew.
The priest took pity on him and took him to the rectory where they
talked at length. The priest was impressed with him to such a degree
that he said that he would do everything possible for him that could
be done to restore his dignity and life, if the young man would
promise to be the best Catholic he could be, and trust in God's mercy
to free him from his torturous life.
The young man went to Mass and communion every day, and after thanking
God for saving his life, asked God to only give him peace of mind and
the grace to be the best man he could ever be in His eyes.
The priest, through his personal contacts was able to secure the
services of the best plastic surgeon in Australia. There would be no
cost to the young man, as the doctor was the priest's best friend. The
doctor too was so impressed by the young man whose outlook now on
life, even though he had experienced the worst, was filled with good
humor and love.
The surgery was a miraculous success. All the best dental work was
also done for him. The young man became everything he promised God he
would be. He was also blessed with a wonderful, beautiful wife, many
children, and success in an industry which would have been the
furthest thing from his mind as a career, if not for the goodness of
God and the love of the people who cared for him.
This he acknowledges publicly.
The young man is . . . . . .
Mel Gibson.
His life was the inspiration for his production of the movie "The Man
Without A Face." He is to be admired by all of us as a God-fearing
man, a political conservative, and an example to all as a true man of
courage.
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Urban Legend Zeitgeist: Mel Gibson: Example