Bill had been a promising athlete before going to Vietnam. Now he had no legs. All he had was faith and determination. Bill began to play sports again with the aid of artificial legs. He was in Nashville in 1987 at a basketball tournament sponsored by the U. S. Amputee Athletic Association. He was invited to audition for a DuPont commercial. He was very wary about doing it. He knew that on television, they can go into the cutting room and put things together any way they want. Reluctantly Bill agreed to do the commercial.

The day of the filming was long; he played basketball over four hours as the camera recorded his every move. The director, Rick Levine, called him aside and asked if he would mind if one of the players knocked him down. This was a new twist to the commercial, but the director felt it would add some dramatic appeal. Bill thought for a moment and then agreed. And it worked. The fall added humanity to the commercial--especially the expression in Bill's eyes after he hit the ground. The commercial was an instant success. It even won awards. Bill became a celebrity of sorts. "I walked into McDonald's the other day to get something to eat," Bill recalls. "This guy said hello to me and I said hi back. I thought he was just a friendly guy. But then he said, `I liked the commercial.'" Reflecting on the whole experience Bill says, "I have a tendency to think we're all sort of crazy. The idea that thirty seconds could completely change a man's life."

Do you believe a life can be changed in thirty seconds? I do. All we have to do is kneel before Jesus. Don't miss your opportunity. Everyone is welcome. Give him your heart today.

Ron Newhouse

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