The Value of Life
Niihama National College of Technology
Tatsuya Fukuda
Have you ever thought about your own life in relation to death? I recently had apowerful experience that made me think deeply about my life and death. The day
before my twentieth birthday I was riding my motorcycle and I had an awfulaccident. A car in the opposite lane suddenly turned right, and before I could react,she hit me. I felt my body floating in the air. I saw my motorcycle gliding on theground, as if in slow motion. My body was flung against the pavement and myconsciousness gradually faded away. As it faded, I remember screaming inwardly,‘No, no, no! I don’t want to die!’ I was carried to the hospital in an ambulance, andmy family and friends met me shortly afterward. It was then that I actually felt
deeply and profoundly ‘I’m alive’ for the first time in my life. My parents told methat if I had fallen just a few centimeters more, I would have hit a wall and died. I
really did have a “narrow escape from death”.
My life was saved. However, the medical advice was extremely cruel. Complete
recovery would take at least two years. My right ankle and left wrist werediagnosed as having compound fractures. The doctor said to me “you need animmediate operation.” So, I had the operation, and after the surgery, I felt like I wasin hell. Intense pain took me and I couldn’t sleep. The next day the doctor came tomy room and said, “The operation was successful, but there is one thing I need totell you, and I hate to tell you this, you won’t be able to do any sports for two years.”
I couldn’t say anything. I loved sports, and until then I had practiced Karateeveryday. It was my life. This was horrible news.
After the operation my life changed totally. In the hospital I couldn’t walk by myself.
I had to use a wheel chair whenever I wanted to go somewhere. I discovered what agreat hardship it is to live with a wheelchair. I could hardly sleep because of theintense pain every day. I became weak mentally and physically.

Even though I had

escaped death, I began to think I would rather die than spend my life like this. I felt
like I had lost it all, and neither my friends nor my family could cheer me up.
But then an unexpected event changed that situation. One day when I went forrehabilitation, an older man in a wheelchair spoke to me.

He said, “Hey, you lookso sad. What’s wrong?” I told him what had happened and he said to me, “Hey, youdon't have it so bad. I have total paralysis because of a stroke. You can’t imagine thehard days I’ve had. It was an awful knowing that I must live in an electric
wheelchair for the rest of my life. I can’t even eat by myself! However, thanks to myparents, I have never given up. I live more passionately and I do what I can as wellas possible. I want to live my life without regret.”
The man’s story moved me deeply, and after that day I made up my mind to also
“live life without regret.” I worked so hard at rehabilitation every day. I was able toleave the hospital two weeks earlier than planned.
I think life is filled and fulfilled by experiencing and getting over hardships. Before
the accident, my days were very ordinary.
than before and richer.

But now I think my life is both fuller

Because of my accident I know intimately the fear of deathand the value and preciousness of life and loved ones. It’s funny: it took an almost
fatal accident for me to remember that I am alive and surrounded by love.
I now tell my friends to please acknowledge the preciousness of their own lives.
After all, the world has only one of you. You are like a precious jewel. Please takecare of this life; it is a gift. Nobody knows when they will die. Therefore, please
experience life without regret. I think that now, even if I happen to meet anotherawful hardship, I will never give up. The older man at the hospital taught me that
there is always someone worse off than you, and not to forget the support and lovefrom your parents and friends.
changed my life.
Thank you for listening to my story.

He was an amazing teacher, and his lesson