Alvin Law was one of the over 13,000 thalidomide births in Canada in the early ’60s. Born without arms, he is hard to miss — especially when he takes off his shoes and uses his feet to eat lunch, drive his car, scratch his head, and play musical instruments, including the piano, drums, even the slide trombone. He shakes your hand with his right foot when you meet him [he explains with a grin that he is right footed] then autographs a copy of his inspiring book.

Alvin does any one of a thousand things we take for granted. His attitude towards not having arms is simply "no arms…so what?”

Born and raised in Yorkton, Sask., his parents gave him up at birth. He was placed in a foster home with a couple who raised him and taught him the values he has today. They taught him "there is no such word as can't" and encouraged him to be as good as or better than anyone else at everything he undertook.

When you meet him and read his book you soon realize he is an incredible achiever who undertook and overcame everything.

Alvin is now one of North America's most in-demand public speakers. I saw him speak at a Rotary conference and could not wait to meet him to tell him how much I admire and respect his straight-ahead approach to life. Oh how I wish that every young person could see and hear his presentation or at the very least, read his inspiring book, Alvin's Laws of Life.

He is very matter of fact about his condition, telling me, "I feel that I am an achiever. I'm living proof that anyone can achieve anything as long as you put out a lot of hard work and dedication. Then at the end of the day appreciate what you have.”

Don't misunderstand me. Alvin's life has not been without a great deal of pain that accompanies such a handicap. Alvin has earned the respect of everyone and the title "Canadian Achiever."

www.alvinlaw.com