Brian Dawood’s Story: Fighting for Visibility, One Smile at a Time

Heroes of the Phoenix Rising by Vision One World

A Childhood Spent Watching from the Window

His legs don’t allow him to walk with ease. His speech is sluggish and sometimes hard to understand. But when Brian Dawood speaks, the emotion is unmistakable.

“I used to stare out of the window and look at the other kids playing and ask, ‘why me?’” he recalls. “If it weren’t for my parents, I don’t think I would have had the courage to face life as I did. They taught me to use my muscles and communicate. They encouraged me, taught me to look at the positive. With their love, I was grateful to be alive and breathing.”

Brian was born with cerebral palsy—a condition that makes even the smallest physical tasks a daily challenge.

Feeling Out of Place

School life was isolating. “I was separated. I didn’t fit in. Perhaps, I still don’t,” Brian says as he adjusts himself in his wheelchair. “Anytime people look at me, they look with pity in their eyes.”

That same pity often translated into tokenism. After school, Brian worked as a fill-in dishwasher—brought in only when others needed a break. Eventually, the managers decided they didn’t need him anymore.

Finding Purpose Through Support

Four and a half years ago, Brian joined an institution that taught him life skills. It was there, through consistent motivational classes, that he began to regain confidence and a sense of independence so many take for granted.

The experience gave him purpose.

Giving Back: Mentorship and Empathy

Today, Brian mentors children with physical disabilities. He helps them celebrate their uniqueness and understand that while they may be different, they are never less.

“I know what they are going through and I tell them to roll with the punches. Sharing my experience with them allows me to get closer and actually make a difference.”

He volunteers weekly, making sure every student he interacts with walks away not only with new skills—but with a smile and renewed confidence.

A New Chapter: Going Back to College

Brian is heading back to college this fall to complete a diploma program in community development.

“With the diploma, I hope to get a job in an institution where I too, can help another Brian who may need me.”

He attributes his compassion for others to his own experience. “How would I ever know and understand what people with physical and mental challenges are feeling if I was a fully able-bodied person?”

More Than a Wheelchair

Despite the peace he’s found, Brian has a grievance with society: the glare of pity.

“You and I are sitting here together. The difference is that when it’s time to go, you will walk out of that door while I will leave on this chair,” he says, smiling playfully. “I may even be faster than you.”

But beneath the humor lies a message:“Our society does not look past our disability. I want people to look at who we are.”

Challenging Stereotypes

In an effort to change society’s attitude, Brian participated in a 5K run/walk to raise funds for United Way.

“It’s high time people stopped looking at our wheelchair and looked at us.”

In a world obsessed with achievement and the next milestone, Brian offers a quiet but powerful perspective.

Why Not Fight for a Cause?

“Most people are busy chasing what the world wants them to chase,” he says. “But for those who can’t answer the question ‘why should I?’, I have an answer.”

“Why not fight for a cause?”

Thank You, Brian

HPR is inspired by your dogged determination, your compassion, and your unshakeable positivity. We wish you every success as you continue lighting the way for others.

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Gilad Atzmon: A Voice Beyond Borders

Heroes of the Phoenix Rising by Vision One World

Most of us call our country of birth “home.” We grow to love its culture, bond with its people, and build friendships over shared meals. Despite the bloodshed caused by divisions of land, we cling to this idea of belonging.

On June 23, 1963, Gilad Atzmon was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, into a secular Jewish household. Like many children, he believed he was part of the “chosen people.” During those early years of innocence, that belief held firm.

At 18, Gilad joined the army as a paramedic—saving lives became his job. But through his military service, he witnessed the devastation of war firsthand. He began to question the very foundations of nationalism. Patriotism, even for one’s own country, seemed senseless when being human ceased to matter.

“It’s hard to pinpoint when I started feeling this way. But watching my people commit atrocities towards others certainly made me feel uneasy.”

Gilad’s unease wasn’t limited to Israel. He would have felt the same about any nation oppressing another. But in this case, it was his own. The pride he was raised with, the sense of unity—it all began to unravel.

He came face-to-face with war’s victims: displaced people in camps, their lives stripped of dignity. He didn’t see them as Palestinians or Jews. Just mothers crying for their children. Fathers feeling helpless. Children fleeing bombings—and those who didn’t.

Leaving the Land He Was Born Into

In 1994, disillusioned and broken, Gilad left Israel and moved to the U.K. He has never returned.

“I do not consider myself to be a victim. Initially I thought there was something fundamentally wrong with my country. Gradually I understood the politics of it all. I left because I felt I was living on somebody else’s land.”

His stance is deeply personal. His wife still visits Israel. His children are free to go. But for Gilad:

“I will never go back until Israel becomes Palestine.”

A Universal Language: Music

In England, Gilad found a new language—music. As a jazz musician, he began expressing the pain, confusion, and truth he couldn’t articulate with words alone. Over time, his art became his activism.

Through both music and writing, Gilad has spread a message that remains at the core of his beliefs: the time has come for humans to identify as humans—before anything else.

“The politics of racial profiling is what creates these problems. If you politically identify as a Jew, then you are privileged. Why? Doesn’t every family want a good education for its kids? Doesn’t every mother want to feed her child? People who are proud of what they are doing do not need to identify with a particular race.”

Identity, Truth, and Conflict

Gilad’s views transcend national borders. He challenges all forms of identity politics—be it race, religion, or sexual orientation.

“Why does a person’s sexual orientation affect us so much that we feel the need to either accept or reject it? Why do we need to identify with a certain geographical boundary or religion or land? Why can’t we just let it be—just be us?”

His commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has earned both praise and fierce criticism. His book The Wandering Who, released in 2011, sold millions and stirred global debate.

“To reveal the truth; that is my main struggle.”

Yet many question whether his truth is the truth. Gilad replies:

“Who is to say who is right and who is wrong?”

Music as Protest, Writing as Resistance

Gilad insists he writes not about politics, but about ethics and identity.

“I have nothing against Jews and you will not find that in any of my writings. I write about identity… about the Jewish Question—because I was born in the Jew-land, and my whole process in maturing into an adult was involved with the realization that my people are living on stolen land.”

“Rather than understanding who you are, one invests some effort in differentiating oneself from the other… At most, one may present a pretense of ethical thinking, but no more than that.”—Excerpt from The Wandering Who

A Life of Art and Defiance

A graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem, Gilad is a multi-instrumentalist—known for the clarinet, saxophone, and ethnic woodwinds. His musical accolades are many.

“Every time I see Gilad perform I am confirmed in my assertion that he is the most dynamic and improvisational musician playing on the live circuit in the U.K. today.”—Igor Goldkind Passion, Fan

He has performed with icons such as Robbie Williams, Sir Paul McCartney, Ian Dury, Pink Floyd, and Sinéad O’Connor.

Despite his global travels with the Orient House Ensemble, Gilad has not set foot in Israel since he left.

“Until it becomes Palestine.”

Beyond Black and White

Gilad’s ideas don’t fit neatly into boxes. Critics call him anti-Semitic. Supporters see him as a voice for the voiceless. Between these extremes lies a truth many refuse to face: not everything in life is black or white.

“We should be taught to think, to argue, to be skeptical and ask questions. That is what’s crumbling in our system.”

Thousands of artists across Britain now stand by Gilad’s right to perform, speak, and share his truth—despite political pressure.

The Dream Lives On

Gilad dreams of a world free from occupation and false pride. A world where humans break away from identities that divide.

“I have to turn my thoughts into a movement, into a consciousness that brings goodness.”

His journey is not just political—it is deeply philosophical, artistic, and emotional. He hopes to help carve a new path. One that isn’t handed down by governments or textbooks, but discovered by questioning everything.

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”—Victor Hugo

Gilad Atzmon embodies this idea. His fight for truth—however controversial—has created ripples across art, thought, and activism.

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Becky Sherrick Harks: The Mother Who Turned Her Pain Into a Lifeline for Thousand

Heroes of the Phoenix Rising by Vision One World

“It was the month of January. 2009. I was getting a sinking feeling, call it a mother’s instinct or whatever, but I knew something was not right.”

Becky Sherrick Harks, a nurse and expectant mother, was admitted to the hospital to deliver her baby. But instead of joy, the delivery room quickly became a space of confusion and fear. As soon as her daughter was born, she was rushed to the ICU.

“I didn’t know what was going on. Nobody was telling me anything.”

Perhaps this was the very feeling that had been weighing on Becky’s heart in the days leading up to the birth.

A Mother’s Nightmare Unfolds

“I was up all night,” Becky recalls. “I was nursing her. Suddenly, the nurses and doctors came running into my room and took my baby away for a CT scan. My baby kept screaming for me. Never have I felt more terrified, more helpless.”

The scan revealed a rare and terrifying condition—Becky’s newborn’s brain had grown outside her skull.

“She was so tiny. She had such little hands and feet…”

Just three weeks old, baby Amelia Grace was taken into the operating room for a 10-hour surgery to have her skull implanted.

“I kept waiting outside the OT. Nobody was telling me anything. I was devastated, alone, desolate.”

Holding on to Hope

As a nurse, Becky understood the gravity of the situation. “I had seen two other similar cases in my profession, and both the babies had died.” Still, the mother in her clung to hope—hope that overshadowed the grim knowledge of her profession.

Amelia survived the surgery.

“She had a huge scar all the way around her head, and the sight of that on her little head scared and shattered me.” But there was one thing Becky could finally do again—hold her daughter close.

Carrying Her Own Scars

Becky’s own childhood had been fraught with trauma. “My mother has bipolar disorder. Suicide attempts, blood checks, feeling alone throughout my childhood were just some of the things that I grew up with.”

As her daughter lay recovering, Becky began to unravel. The trauma, anxiety, and isolation overwhelmed her. She buckled under the weight of post-traumatic stress disorder.

But then came the miracle: “She recovered!! My baby came out of it all!!”

From Trauma to Purpose

Six years later, Becky’s voice still brims with joy. “I got her back in my arms again! I would never ever lose her!”

Yet, the loneliness she felt during those terrifying moments never left her. She knew no one should ever feel that alone.

That’s when Becky founded Band Back Together—an online platform where people facing emotional trauma could find support, solidarity, and healing.

Creating a Safe Space for Survivors

Band Back Together launched in 2010 as a group weblog and support forum where people could share their stories of survival—anonymously if they preferred—and connect with others facing similar struggles.

“It is a group weblog providing educational resources as well as a safe, moderated, supportive environment to share stories of survival,” Becky explains.

From survivors of abuse and rape to individuals dealing with mental illness, baby loss, or suicidal thoughts, Band Back Together became a virtual sanctuary.

“It’s something I wish I had growing up. It’s something I wish I had while watching my baby suffer,” Becky says.

United in Healing

People from across the globe began finding comfort and power in sharing their stories. Survivors found each other. Healing became communal.

“The Band was a part of my family when I got divorced. I also have a special needs child… Finding a tribe of other people who deal with the same issues really helped me through some dark days.” – Amy S.

Becky’s small initiative had become a lifeline.

“I'm sure this site saves at least one person every single day.” – Ericka R.

A Home for Stories That Matter

With over 600 resource pages, Band Back Together groups stories by category—abuse, grief, mental illness, baby loss, and more—making it easy to find a story that resonates.

“These are your words, your problems, and they matter to a lot of people.” – Becky

“Reading others’ stories made me feel less alone. Abuse is isolating… but The Band helped me take back my power.” – Anonymous Survivor

A Lifeline That Changed Lives

Becky’s vision came full circle when she received a heartfelt message from Nikki, a mother in New York:

“I had a hard time finding people online who had been through a similar diagnosis… Then I found Becky. She saved my sanity.”

Inspired by Becky’s courage, Nikki wrote her own story on the platform, offering others the same hope she once desperately needed.

The Face of Strength

“We are the face of depression. We are the face of baby loss. We are the face of abuse. We are the face of rape. We are the face of fighters.” Becky says. “We wear our scars proudly—like battle wounds.”

Today, Band Back Together is a powerful reminder: you are never truly alone.

“No matter what, I know my story is safe with them. If I am lost, they will help me find my way.” – Survivor

Thank You, Becky

In a world where social media often isolates, Becky used it to unite, uplift, and heal. Her pain birthed a platform that now serves as a home for thousands.

Becky Sherrick Harks, you are the hope that connects hundreds of thousands of silent victims across the world.