Wilmer Arias was shot through the neck in a rural and impoverished area of northern Guatemala when he was 9 years old. He wandered away from his grandparents house, where he lived with his brother and sister, to chase after a deer. A hunter’s bullet intended for the deer, struck Wilmer instead.
He spent two and a half months in a coma in a hospital in Guatemala city, and woke up in a world unfamiliar to the one he had known; now paralyzed from the waist down.
Abandoned by his mother and father at a young age, Wilmer had only the support of his grandparents, who were getting old themselves and quickly realized they did not have the ability to support Wilmers needs given his new physical condition. With no money to keep up with hospital bills, they found an orphanage called Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos; a catholic organization that had the ability to help. 10 hours away from their life in Peten, along with his brother and sister, this orphanage became Wilmer's new home.
Confused, angry, and completely dependent on others, Wilmer struggled through his adolescent years. He became accustomed to a life of difficulty; constant health complications, trips to the hospital, and feeling alienated from his peers because of his condition. He saw no opportunity to improve his life, and Wilmer became ashamed of who he was.
When he was 18 he began to realize the power of his own mind. He credits the book 'Think and Grow Rich,’ which was given to him as a gift, for his initial breakthrough. He learned that accepting himself as he was, and giving up were two completely different things, and his life began to change.
He became obsessed with books, and applied himself to learning, finding strength for his own life through the wisdom of others. Combining self discipline with an eagerness to learn, Wilmer set goals, developed principles, and began taking giant strides in his life. He stopped looking for external validation and acceptance from others and focused more on his internal environment.
By 29, he was working in public relations and partnerships for the orphanage, studying business in University, and simultaneously earning a masters in digital marketing. All the while putting together a business plan for a wellness center that is his dream to eventually open up with his brother. He began speaking all over the world, inspiring people with his story everywhere he went. Wilmer’s life had taken a complete 180, he had made peace with his own life, and actualized the power of his own mind. He had found an upward trajectory for his life that inspired everyone he came in contact with. During this time, a lingering complication from his childhood accident became a life threatening issue, and Wilmer was told by doctors he had less than 2 years to live.
The operation Wilmer needed had never been attempted in medical history, and Wilmer was turned away by as many hospitals as they contacted. Refusing to give up the fight, Wilmer began to manifest a future for himself despite his most recent complication. He remained positive and focused on his attitude, thoughts, and the energy he was putting out into the world, as he searched for an answer to his life’s most recent curveball.
We hope this episode brings a new perspective or at least makes you think about the power of the mind.
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