In his daily life, Jan is still confronted with this trauma, but it hasn’t turned him into a victim. “In my TEDx talk ‘Eye to Eye,’ I want to motivate and inspire people.”

The arrow struck him right in the pupil. “They tried to save my eye, but it was too late. I was definitely lucky. I could have died if the string had been tighter.” After a few months, Jan received an eye prosthesis. This trauma had a major impact on his childhood. “As a child, I was confronted with the fact that I could no longer do everything. Think of pouring a glass of lemonade or opening a door.” On top of that, he couldn’t talk to almost anyone about it. “My teachers kept it a secret, just like my parents. On top of losing my eye, I couldn’t share my story. That was tough. My mother was also very overprotective. I got a lot of attention. This came at the expense of the attention my sisters received. It’s not good when, as a parent, you focus solely on the child with a disability. I became rebellious. I wanted to break free from the constraints. I went in search of openness.”

Pushing Boundaries

Despite this setback, Jan has remained incredibly positive all these years. “This is because of my cheerful nature. Jan focused on what he could do rather than what he couldn’t.” “At one point, I started doing competitive gymnastics at a high level. My coach treated me just like all the other students. That gave me a lot of strength.” This taught him to push his limits. “I was a victim, but not for long. I wanted to make something of my life.”

Through the arrow

Jan sees all positive events as a gift from life. “For example, I’ve gone horseback riding, acted on television, and even got my driver’s license. On top of that, I’m a teacher and a career counselor. Life doesn’t stop after a traumatic experience, and that’s what I want to show.” That’s why Jan created this TEDx talk. “For this, I took a special training course with Peter Perceval and An Nelissen. Before you can give a presentation like this about trauma, it’s important that you’ve processed it—that you’ve worked through the pain.”

Enrichment

He performed in Antwerp alongside four Belgian speakers. All four spoke about how they dealt with a setback in life. “I was the first to take the stage. It was pretty nerve-wracking. But it was comforting to know that my friends and family were in the audience. People told me afterward that they were moved by my story. My TEDx talk included a good dose of reflection and self-deprecating humor. Everyone took something away from it for themselves. After all, insight offers a new perspective.”

“In addition to my TEDx talk, I’m also working on a book titled ‘The Arrow in My Eye.’ Once the book is finished next year, I’ll give a presentation at the association’s National Contact Day. The message of my presentation will therefore be: ‘This accident has made me the person I am today, and it has enriched my life.’ Box

Want to watch Jan’s TEDx talk? Go to www.janhulsbergen.nl