Life's short, make the most of it | Michiel Vandeweert | TEDxUHasselt

Imagine growing up with the knowledge that you will only live until your mid-teens to early twenties. It is a harsh rationale, but nonetheless a regrettable reality for individuals affected by progeria. Worldwide, nearly one of four million newborns are affected with this extremely rare genetic disorder. While aging at an incredibly fast rate, patients with this incurable disease are left with only one option: to enjoy their life to the fullest. Belgian Michiel Vandeweer, 19, suffers from progeria. Despite the limitations and the negative effects of the disease, Michiel tries to enjoy his life to the fullest, even though he realises that most people with his condition die around the age of 14. His condition forms no barrier between him and his dreams: being a DJ, getting his drivers’ license or getting a job. With this attitude, Michiel hopes to be a source of inspiration to everyone around him. His life is an immense challenge with an unknown outcome, but despite all the inconveniences, Michiel’s positive attitude in life is remarkable. Michiel Vandeweert is a nineteen year old Belgian suffering from progeria. Despite the limitations of his body and the statistics showing that he would only live till his fourteenth, it is impressive to see how Michiel is living his life like any other person of his age. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@GdoubleN]

Michiel is still going strong in 2024 💪

[@tonyandnobody7188]

Good 👍

[@avisekhmandal6781]

Sometimes we didn't get what we deserve . This guy deserve more appreciation and a standing ovation. That is why life is blunty unfair 👍

[@tanyakaur8648]

This isn't as similarly as sem berns

[@Ayon-Sarker]

That's true.......

[@sterlthepearl1000]

And if you know what you're worth. Then go out and get what you're worth.

[@pokejmusic7302]

This video is so underrated it deserves more views.

[@HisAirnessN1]

What a dead crowd. He deserved a standing ovation.

[@firstnamelastname9219]

I think they were just caught up in what he was saying

[@Ruutgeer]

Unlike places like the US and probably others, standing ovations are extremely rare in Belgium.

[@adamgillespie3393]

The sound engineering probably messed with the audiences sound

[@siddhishukla1725]

exactly

[@RammyFace]

IKR

[@victorzhou6172]

I admire these kids they have the courage to do a ted while i'm always at home playing

[@RammyFace]

Ikr

[@alyssazhu_09]

Lol

[@markdugarov2845]

You can work while at home playing, help others, and earn money at the same moment =)

[@sling9672]

wdym kids? he was 19 at the time of that ted talk

[@andale_andale]

@@sling9672 still a kid

[@sivakens]

He is a beautiful creation!!

[@jeremiahkool6010]

You're more than a LEGEND.

[@johnellis4330]

Imagine us... having the strength and mental commitment of this young man. He's a positive example to us all. Be introspective for a moment. If this was you, how would you stand as he did? God bless him and his insights into the value of life.

[@danilobatista1329]

absolutely he is!! Amen to that. if only people who moan all day watch this, they would leave the couch and get on with life!

[@shirleylambey1553]

John Ellis people R soooo cold hearted this young man deserves a standing ovation indeed he's a blessing to see him appreciate life with all what he has and is going through and is not complaining but an inspiration to me am normal i thank God for him stay safe and Blessed

[@beyonderssupreme]

Stop using disable people's to preaching your religious beliefs, shut your mouth, and stop pushing. Hypocrisy

[@blanedoe4683]

The parents were chosen and must be some of the strongest and patient role models. Heart goes out to the family

[@MayadancesXo]

He is strong and brave.This is my new favorite Ted talk

[@peaveawwii1]

This is what an incorruptible soul looks like. It is extremely difficult to find better example of being than this. One of Gods favorite children is speaking. We all need to listen

[@khushikumbhar8813]

You are really "more than a legend ".

[@eminetun]

He is such a pure soul, I cried my eyes out

[@dannilaser16]

Yep, me too.

[@denisefrancis2514]

You are God's PERFECT GIFT to our World. You're fulfilled your purpose for which you were born. High Cheer to your Positive Parents who understood that Children are a GIFT from God. I'm Inspired.

[@melanieirani8300]

God is good

[@mickcurrie2637]

he needs a bigger crowd we need more people like him in the world

[@null_nihility]

more genetic failures, you mean?

[@mickiedaddy6016]

have you ever wanted to cry for someone but you didn’t because you didn’t want to feel sorry for them or as if you have pity for them but either way your emotions are genuine and upright that’s how I’m feeling right now

[@mariocamacho9664]

This kid is such an inspiration to us all. The outlook on life that he has , he lives life to the fullest .

[@nancyhoward7005]

And he finished high school. Cool

[@maddyt7952]

We are all overwhelmed because you are special l love you.

[@kellogsnotavailable]

he is the perfect symbol for Europe, and his family for the world.

[@beatlemccartney9227]

He has so much courage to stand there and bare his soul I applaud you babe

[@brianlawhon2924]

Lesson learned, every day is a miracle, be good, be happy. Thank you

[@CH_Plumber]

damn i woud like to have a friend like him he is so smart

[@user-jo6in4yl5l]

Какой милый человек!!! Какая сила духа у него и его семьи🔥

[@alipatetuberi4980]

This made me cry. God bless you, bro! You've spoken a lot of sense to me and I am definitely sharing your msg.

[@angeloreyes357]

Brave young man..God loves you..blessed u with a good heart and soul to inspire lots of people.

[@amiistad]

i applaud this young man, he’s a true lion.

[@im_gabriela9488]

This video makes me cry 😭😭😭 such an inspiring man he is~

[@kiwiabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw]

I will always take "live life to the fullest" very seriously now! I should be grateful. He is so strong

[@majorpwner241]

Amazing human being... Wise beyond his years, but this is the way of suffering through life. It opens your eyes to things that most people will never see/experience/understand.

[@julianbristow4793]

He’s all right, I was impressed by his courage. I hope he achieves his dreams.

[@DanielBarham-ej7yj]

What an intelligent young man. This is a perfectly delivered and confident speech. His parents should be proud of him.

[@DarkOblideration]

I wish this guy was my friend. Life is so unfair sometimes. Please value every moment.

[@doode3000]

I just want to give him a big ol hug

[@darlingsweetheart8146]

God bless you and you are the coolest, bravest, and strongest! Respect!

[@tuze8]

I'm proud of this man, god bless you. Из России с уважением!!!

[@ak-19healedandfree]

It's amazing how you are so young and yet you talk with so much wisdom. I was not having a very good day and this really brightened up my day so much. You helped me see the brighter side of life. Thank you so much for this. You are amazing! I pray you will live longer than expected and continue to bless more people with your talks. People really need to hear this.

[@danilobatista1329]

Amen!

[@chillpill2016]

He is 19, not very young

[@1973Ganesh]

@@chillpill2016 19 is very young

[@chillpill2016]

@@1973Ganesh No it’s not. 19 year olds make better choices than 30 year olds.

[@duckyyyaj247]

@@chillpill2016 It’s not young to you because you’re 12

[@SpikesBreakingBread]

You are so brave, you are normal and a hero in the same time. THANK YOU

[@techacetv4068]

Made me cry salute you

[@atiqurrahaman4253]

This video deserve 1million like. Salute to you great champ, you are that pillar who doesn't fall even has faced a lot of problems and struggles. Ameen! May Allah (swt){god} bless you and provide you the strength to overcome every challenge in your life.

[@pradeepkurapati1997]

I couldn't stop crying seeing his courage 😢

[@dirk4632]

Wish you just the best

[@doctauglyd9861]

He'll be back

[@dakillah6018]

@@doctauglyd9861 All the wounded will be back . Greater than ever imagined

[@doctauglyd9861]

@@dakillah6018 he shall return a lion

[@ellysaign172]

his eyes show how how beautiful he is, inside and outside

[@leopard-dreamer1833]

very big hart you have.

[@Klim04]

No being offensive but he is not that beautifull outside but defenitly he is beautifull on the inside. As a male teenager, i would like him as a friend

[@classicrocker889]

WISDOM BEYOND HIS YEARS , I HOPE THIS CROWD AND ALL WHO WATCH THIS UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TOOK FOR HIM TO HAVE SUCH WISDOM AND INSIGHT . AMAZING YOUNG MAN.

[@westonandmarilynhawkes7423]

What a good, sweet soul. I love him.

[@cameronwilliams5430]

He is my idol. 19 and courageous as many couldn't wish to become. He was told he wouldn't be as strong as his friends. They weren't wrong. He's stronger than most.

[@blanedoe4683]

We all take everything for granted, What an inspiration

[@jvoorter]

he have a lilttle sister amber and she is my friend the too kids are from belgium

[@PENNSYLVANIA5999]

This is sad but motivational this guy has courage and I hope he survives to the limit anyone can never give up I'm young 13 exactly I have anger issues but he makes me want to get better never give up kid you can't you must survive

[@grandadmiralthrawn9688]

i'm living for people like these

[@ngounchantha792]

Good job, boy. You are so amazing speaking in front of crowd. Life's too short, be yourself

[@hunterbawlz]

It's incredible to see how fulfilling life can be in such little time. I'd bet that his life is more complete than many who've lived to be four times his current age. My takeaway from his enriched but ultimately compressed life is that it shows how fruitfully people can lead their lives by cherishing their time like him. And that even time, while being our inescapable life-limiting factor, does not dictate our experience. We dictate our experience by not wasting time. This man illustrates a purely human approach to the human condition while inspiring others to improve theirs.

[@lourdeslomeli824]

Love you. Thanks for sharing your light Many blessings

[@sumonhossain1995]

Legend never die. Love you bro

[@daviderossi39]

Thank you. There is more strength in one inch of you that the total I showed in my entire life. People like you truly inspire others. Thanks again.

[@HaiLeo_]

Eyes in my tears.....salut for this legend

[@GAMINGOOZE101]

Inspirational, live life to the full and be greatful for what you have. This is a great message.

[@pbose698]

AMAZING what a HERO you have inspired me sooo much. People like you are the real heroes.

[@jeanalzaidi908]

Michiel is a amazing young man he deserved a standing ovation after such a wonderful heartloving talk,i have been following him & his sister& parents since hayley okines documentary,where they were visitors of theirs I was so impressed with these parents and my heart went out to them once I heard their story that their father had a vasectomy after his son was diagnosed with progeria because he feared having another child with it but the doctors and Healthcare professionals all said that there was virtually zero chance that they would have another child with progeria it just wasn't heard of and his wife wanted another child so he went and got it reversed and then they had their little girl and she ended up having progeria they've been through a lot they are amazing parents and they have two amazing children they must be so proud,michiel got his drivers license and ive always been too afraid too drive hes so brave!!

[@saidurgaprasad2410]

I broken into tears ..if i got a chance I will meet you..ur courage spreads positiveness all over the world...

[@Sad-nh7uy]

You are such a strong personality, I wish I were half as strong as you.

[@csmsharp5952]

You are such a blessing! Please never stop sharing your love of life with us. Positivity is as contagious as negativity. We need more amazing people like you!

[@ch.illmatic]

Sam Berns would be proud...

[@jackolantern9799]

It's ch.illmatic he would be so proud!!!!!!

[@crazyfrazy1013]

Man I didn’t know nas fans had such a big heart

[@jenipherbolton3229]

He sure would

[@braddcondones]

i thought this was him im not trying to be funny

[@RammyFace]

Ikr

[@user-rg2qy4lt2i]

Stay strong... I admire your strength, bravery and courage.

[@ranjanachakraborty2129]

I was stunned on every words from him . What nice person out of every odds.

[@omarpasha2968]

I applaud him! Thanks for the blessed inspiration!

[@eCelia08]

Thank you young man for sharing your story, you are very courageous, wise and a beautiful soul. I am glad you are surrounded by good people just like you, may you live longer.

[@Smilthy]

All my love to the family 🖤 and to you, brave brave, strong man 👏🏼

[@sp3cifieredits]

I am determined to spread the word about Forwago. This personalized plan turned my life around 180 degrees. Now I'm working out, started exploring some business opportunities, and in a healthy relationship.

[@michellekeeton9252]

This kid is amazing. How wonderful that he is willing to share so publicly.

[@tonjajones4634]

You are awesome!!!! Don't let anyone or anything dim your light, Michiel.

[@lanipowell7287]

A remarkable young man! Thank you for the inspiring message!

[@meenaale9944]

He has a strong spirit I know he will be successful one day somehow

[@fear_less_2020]

Dearest Michiel, God bless you and your lovely family, your God-like Parents, and your lovely little sister. I pray you all to lead a long peaceful life. I want to thank you a lot for your wonderful message. Today I had too many tears in my eyes, in the morning for how a past event in my life had been so unfair. But listening to you talk with so much positivity has inspired me so much. May you get immense happiness and peace. Thank you so much again.

[@donnalazar4469]

Kudos to Michiel and best wishes going forward. Watching this, I realized that a lot of what he accomplishes is because his parents have the money to make it happen. This makes me sad for poor kids with challenging conditions who don't have a loving two-parent home and/or a decent financial situation.

[@Ive.A.]

Thank you for speaking up Michiel, this is a message the world needs to hear. Thank you for inspiring me to be a more optimistic person. I admire your strength and resilience, I think you are a bright example for all of us.

[@ruthsmith1694]

Thank you for that wonderful inspiring and uplifting speech young man. You are living your life to the full how it`s meant to be lived.

[@addwinrj541]

Wow! What a speech! He break the human imagination....❤️

[@ashpasch6004]

Thank you young man ! You are amazing. Keep up the great work . Blessings now and always be well stay strong now and always 🙏💟🌷

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

He is 23 years old this year and his sister amber who also has progeria is 15 years old

[@SHINeefan17]

Amazing🥰

[@akshitatiwari1]

I have never seen such strongest person on earth trust you gave me today biggest life lesson . Nick and you are the biggest inspiration for all human beings.

[@Ryef1]

I cannot watch. My heart goes to his parents, and to this brave kid and his sister.

[@LA-em4kr]

I send your videos as inspiration to my friends and family to inspire and uplift the day. Your ability to speak with such mindfulness and clarity is amazing in all your videos. This time, I noticed an accent I hadn't heard before. Thank you so much ❤ Keep up the good 👍 mindset!

[@boltbadblades5247]

God bless ur soul❤️, I hope u enjoy to the best 💯

[@ma.elainesantos1641]

We all have a bad day now and then and sometimes life can be bluntly unfair, but hey, with a nice family, some great friends, and some exciting challenges, you can come a long way already. So don't complain about things that you are not capable of but show the world what you are capable of because life is too short, make the most out of it - Michiel Vandeweert

[@nicolehennessey4082]

Hello. Michiel, you are an inspiration to us all, thank you for sharing your life story so that we can better understand and accept all our differences and most importantly our wonderful qualities! You are a fabulous public speaker, and it was a privilege to watch your video! Thank you!

[@thequizze1048]

He literally made me cry

[@Cybernaut551]

This person is a legendary hero!

[@AtooZ]

He def deserved a standing ovation

[@rahuljauhar8350]

You are genius..You are the inspiration of many person who is struggling their career thinking that life is a hard..Hats off you!

[@rinchendolma2721]

You are awesome 😎 and inspiration for many who are facing like this . Really you are a light indarkness . God bless you and showers all sucess and happiness to you and your family.👍👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏

[@andeerafernandes6301]

Truly, 'more than a LEGEND'.

[@misspurpleplum3988]

Such a String Guy and strong Family 😍 god Bless you

[@pocurious8288]

He deserves so much more

[@Harsh_tandon]

I salute to his courage and to each and every courageous word he spoked. Yes standing ovation is something he deserved. But anyways that bad the crowd would be i can't imagine. But what i can do is i pray that God bless Him with the best of health, Happiness joy forever. A healthy, long and motivating life.. Lots and lots of love for him.

[@abdirahmanok821]

Most amazing speech ever.

[@dlr7308]

I am SOOOO proud of you! Wish you the best

[@teleteifun505]

This is so emotional

[@alone_7rx]

Vi esse video tem 1 semana , porém ele não sai da minha cabeça que video fod.. Sempre que preciso de motivação venho ver esse video 🔥🔋

[@candiceazzara8877]

God bless you.

[@Eludelar]

Michiel, you are an amazing person. Thank you for sharing your story.