Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were named the Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year“. Who is your person of the year?
The Time Magazine made clear that the nomination is never only about the past, but also about the future. Joe Biden said that he is seeing “an outpouring of joy, hope, and renewed faith in tomorrow to bring a better day”. Kamala Harris frequently quoted her mother who told her “you may be the first to do many things, make sure you’re not the last”.
I found it incredibly difficult to decide who would be my Person of the Year. In any case, it had to be a nomination relevant for the future.
There are the therapists and doctors in Burgau, Munich and Pforzheim who recognised what caused Pádraig’s terrible pain in his hip over the past year and who were able to help him with a relatively small intervention so that he now can move his right leg again and can sleep through the night.
There are my colleagues in the An Saol Foundation who kept our Neurological Rehabilitation Day Centre open and running – after a months’ long closure from March to July.
There are the people who never stop working for the care and the rights of people with neurological injuries or conditions.
You can listen to some of them on the website of the An Saol Foundation.
Mags Rodgers is the Executive Director of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland; Ken Duffy is the co-owner of the Little Sport Bike Shop in Dublin who arranged sponsorship for a fundraising cycle; Professor Andreas Bender is the Clinical Director of the Therapieszentrum Burgau (near Munich); Kieran Loughran is the CEO of Headway Ireland.
My person of the year, though, has to be Pádraig who not just inspired all of us in the past but motivates us all to keep going into the future.
Below is one of the most amazing short videos of him in a park near our house. The video is a year or two old and still absolutely amazing. When we were just about to leave, Pádraig showed us what he can do with Dublin City Council’s exercise equipment.
So here is to another year, another decade.
Like Joe, we can see “an outpouring of joy, hope, and renewed faith in tomorrow to bring a better day”. And we will follow Kamala Harris’ mother’s advise. We’re “the first to do many things” and we’ll make sure that we won’t be the last.
A sign of things to come! Let’s just sail and have some fun. Get on board.
Dreamboaters, we’re looking at the stars
Hospi-Tales 
For me all of you are de person of the year, a group person, yes, I hace decided that this is possible. Besos y abrazos
The photo I like more is the one were you can see him standing helped by you, Reinhard.
We just have to make it to the cover of Time magazine, Ana!
Happy new year to you all! I agree that Pádraig is a great person of the year! This diligence, persistence and optimism and progress are so inspirational! May 2021 bring even more progress and support and laughter. xx
I like the laughter bit, Diane. With more lightness and carefree attitude. Here is to a new decade.
Ath bhliain nua sibh go léir….. as I started reading the blog I said to myself, Pádraig ..no holding you back, going forward with hope surrounded by faith and Love. Norma
On your shoulders, Norma.
I agree. Let’s nominate Padraig as the person of the year! He reminds us constantly how the trilogy of courage, resilience and hope are the key ingredients of a life well lived.
Here’s to a new year of hope, health and progress, with many rays of joy (and peals of laughter too) aong the way !🌟🌈⭐
Raphael 😊
Joy and laughter, Raphael. Tomorrow can wait till this day is done!