The Story of Louis Zamperini
The Story of Louis Zamperini
Louis was a prisoner of war and faced more challenges than you can imagine. I hope you have time to watch the video below, but if not read the quick summary to learn a few of the details about this amazing man.
Louis story about overcoming fear and making it through amazingly tough times.
1917 - Italian parents were immigrants and he couldn’t speak English so he passed kindergarten by cheating. He started smoking at age 5 and was always fighting with his peers. He was a thief and could run fast so the police and teachers told him to take up track and he did but he was in horrible shape. He kept at it and ended up qualifying for the Olympics. He went to Germany Olympics and came in 8th.
Shortly after, he joined the military. One day during WWII they took a Green Hornet. They were reluctant but they took it anyway. Over the Pacific, two engines went out and they crashed into shark infested waters. He tore through tangles of wires and equipment and swallowed gasoline and oil on his swim to the surface.
He saw a life raft and picked up 2 other survivors. The next day, they saw a rescue plane but no one in the plane could see them. They prayed every day all day long as they scorched in the sun. They killed birds that landed on the raft and used the meat to fish and they collected rain to drink.
They were continuously bothered by sharks and had to beat them off.
After 3 weeks, a Japanese fighter plane started bombing them, but somehow they weren’t hit.
They drifted 2 more weeks and finally spotted land, but the island was occupied by Japanese troops and they were put into a prison camp where the guards told them that all other prisoners were beheaded in this camp. Other Japanese troops came into see them like a ZOO.
He was moved to other camps where he was horribly abused and tortured. He was told to record himself to verify to the US he was alive and he did. Then he was asked to read Japanese propaganda, but he refused so he was transferred to a POW camp and tortured even more.
He was liberated and sent home. He was a celebrity. He got married to a beautiful woman but drank nonstop. His wife divorced him but she went to a Billy Graham sermon and she told Louis she would not divorce him. He said he would go to one of Billy Grahams sermons and he thought of how God had saved him and he remembered all his prayers. He changed his life.
He lived a long, happy life and died in 2014.
Louis had plenty to fear in his life, but what allowed him to overcome it was his mindset. He wasn’t going to die. He was going home someday. If Louis can go through all of that, then you can face and overcome the problems in your own life.