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WATCH: Inspirational Maltese Man Puts On Impressive Show As He Battles Parkinson’s

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A Maltese man who has been living with Parkinson’s Disease for over 15 years has filmed himself putting on a powerful display of determination. Andrew Falzon’s nunchaku routine would be impressive at face value, but when you stop to consider everything else that has been going on behind the scenes, it’s downright astounding.

Andrew was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 16 years ago, and has since also undergone brain surgery. In the above clip he explains this routine was done “off meds”, i.e. entirely through his strength of will and perseverance. That sounds like a lot of hurdles to overcome, but this sort of challenge is exactly the kind of thing Andrew loves. 

Not willing to let anything hold him down, he even achieved his black belt ‘second dan’ (a ranking system used after achieving the highest grade possible in martial arts) after his diagnosis. “He’s always looking to do something new and fun” says his mother, Maria Falzon, who beams at the achievements of her son. “Last time he left the house without saying a word, came back and told me he had just been abseiling. I told him I wish you’d have said something so I could have come with you to cheer you on.”

Maria And Andrew

Maria and Andrew on holiday

But it’s not just his ninja skills that have us impressed, he’s also very vocal about his struggle with depression, an issue most people still consider too taboo to discuss. “If anyone reading this ever goes through dark times, reach out. You are not alone. Don’t give [your anxiety and depression]  the satisfaction of believing their lies.”

When he’s not advocating for better mental health or dexterously flipping his nunchaku, Andrew has also given motivational talks to everyone from prison inmates, to teams and companies looking for an inspirational boost. The video alone is already an inspiration, so we can only imagine how great the talks must be.

Share this post if you know someone might need a little inspiration.

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