Captain Gerald Coffee--adversity

Captain Gerald Coffee was shot down on February 3, 1966 while flying a mission over North Vietnam. He was imprisoned for over 7 years and tortured multiple times.

"As I look back, I am not angry with the majority of my captors who were only doing their jobs.  No matter what the color of skin, the shape of eyes, the sound of language spoken, we all laugh, cry, hunger, thirst, and want the same things for family and loved ones.  You cannot let the objects of bitterness keep control of you.

You must find purpose in adversity and recognize that you have skills, wisdom, and the fortitude to do whatever you need to do in order to survive.  Having faith that you will find a purpose in what is happening to you, and then capitalizing on it is going beyond survival.  There is a hero in all of us.  There is nothing extraordinary about me.  If I can do it so can you."

Gerald Coffee is now a motivational speaker. Provided by: http://www.survivingadversity.com