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An Open Letter to Oprah
Dear Oprah,
My name is Jothy Rosenberg. I am writing you because before your current show runs its course, I really want you to invite me on to get my story out to as many people as possible.
Lance Armstrong, when we first met right after the Sydney Olympics, was struck with my perspective as a 36-year survivor of bone cancer that took my right leg and left lung (at the time he was only a 7-year survivor). Jonathan Alter of Newsweek and NBC interviewed me for the Today Show because as he put it “Jothy Rosenberg is not a celebrity but an Everyman, which gives his wrenching story of astonishing grit its inspirational power.” His point is a very important one: I am not a celebrity and I believe that makes me even more appealing to your audience than if I were. When I was first searching for a publisher for my just-released Who Says I Can’t, I got nothing but rejections because I did not have “a platform”. You have a giant platform Oprah and I wonder if you would be willing to share a tiny part of it with me to get my motivational message of hope and inspiration out to as many people as possible. When I asked those publishers what they meant by platform they referenced Michael J. Fox, Dorothy Hamill, and Barack Obama referring to my not being a movie star, olympic athlete or national politician. But it is certainly true for me and for everyone I ask, that while I have loved memoirs from those people and others including Lance Armstrong, it is not easy to identify with their situation and how they dealt with their challenges.
I believe when people hear how I dealt with losing my leg at 16 and after beginning to recover 3 years later when it had spread to my lungs losing it too while the doctors told me I had zero chance of survival, they will sit up and take notice. When I continue on that I then decided to put all my single-minded focus on getting so good at skiing on one leg that no one would ever again say to me “you’re a pretty good skier…considering you’re an amputee”, people will begin to ask themselves what they would do if they were me. I talk about finding something you want to do and just focusing on it like a laser beam because when you do you can get better at it than anyone who does not work as hard as you. And once you have one little victory it builds a confidence base that you can keep building more and more on. And pretty soon, no matter what it was that knocked you down be it cancer, a disability, depression, family tragedy, or whatever, you now have a formula to build yourself back up to be maybe even better than you were before. For me, it worked best to initially have those little victories be in sports. I became a double-black diamond skier, a competitive open water swimmer (I have competed in the Alcatraz Sharkfest swim 16 times), a long-distance bike-rider (AIDS ride Boston-New York 3 times, across Massachusetts 7 times, Lance Armstrong’s Ride for the Roses 3 times) and pretty competent in white water rafting, kayaking, snow shoeing and more. What I will tell people is that the confidence I was able to build back up based on these athletic events carried over into all other aspects of my life and I was able to get a PhD, write 2 successful technical books and start 7 high tech companies.
I became an Accidental Inspiration to people when I first decided to do those long distance bike rides to raise money for important causes. It was on an AIDS ride, and every ride for cancer research since, when I surprised even myself as I began to pass dozens and dozens of people on big hills and people started saying things out loud like “I will never whine again”, or “If you can do it I can too”, or simply “You inspire me” that I began to realize I was motivating even people I like to call two-leggers to kick things into a higher gear and fight back. Fighting back is what I have had to do all my life. First I had to fight just to survive. Then I had to fight to regain a semblance of self-confidence so I could live a normal life. Finally I learned I could fight back against other people giving in or giving up and that was when I finally realized I could stop fighting for myself and could direct that energy and drive towards giving back. My book Who Says I Can’t is precisely that — it’s the book I wish I had had as a 16-year old in recovery with just a stump where my right leg should have been and a mind on fire with despair and confusion wondering what if anything would I ever be able to do again. I hope to meet you someday Oprah — you have done a lot of good with the exposure your show has given to people (and books) that might otherwise not get noticed by people who are enriched by that exposure. I would be honored if you thought my appearance on your show might in some way do that as well.
In case you are interested in seeing a video of the sports that were so important to my journey back I made this just for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T8qtWqN9eo
60 Responses to “An Open Letter to Oprah”
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Tell us the story of you or someone you know who is inspiring. Maybe they should be on the new TV series Who Says I Can’t!
Comment to Orah:
(in case you see this)
As the single parent of a 15-year old daughter currently fighting this same disease, osteosarcoma, I would really love to see this interview. Right now, we need all the encouragement we can find.
Blessings,
Toni Knuth
kelcorta@gmail.com
HI Joshy,
My son battled osteosarcoma and lost his left leg above the knee Feb 07. I can't wait to buy this book for my son who is now 14. He just started swimming on the FHS swim team this year. He has yet to compete but is very strong willed as he wants to prove his competitiveness. He played hockey prior and has the drive now to get back into sports.
I hope Oprah brings you on the show.
For now I will start by getting the book!!!
From all I've heard you are and inspiration to all.
Deb Puumala
Deb, thanks for your comment. Just to let you know the book can be bought now from http://www.whosaysicant.net. The big box stores and Amazon.com won't be shipping it until Feb. Not sure why such a long delay. I hope you and your son love the book. My best to him!
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