Spotlight on Victor Diali

The Turning Point 

Every man has a turning point in life; a point from which you know your life can never be the same again. For me, the turning point came through a scary encounter with death. Before the incidence, I had been completely focused on work. I worked almost round the clock to meet my objectives and targets at Microsoft. Five weeks before, I was on a rather long international trip, which had taken me away from my family. When I returned the only thing on my mind was to spend time with my wife.

On November 22, 2009, I was very excited that I was making good my promise to take my wife out. I changed the battery of the car because it had gone flat in my absence, got dressed and was on my way to church with my wife. At about 6.20am, my black, tinted, Infiniti SUV was double-crossed by a rickety-looking car. About 6 young men came out for the rickety car and started shooting into the air with machine guns. At this point I was surprisingly very calm. I told my wife to stay calm. I did not panic because my father had taught me from childhood never to panic in the face of danger. His advice was that I should think clearly about how to escape. I was very cooperative with the robbers. I gave them the keys when they asked for it.

Within minutes we were car-jacked and driven away at break-neck speed. After about 20 minutes, my wife was pushed out of the moving vehicle. They drove on for another few minutes shot me in the side and left me die in the bushes by the side of an expressway while the robbers made away with my SUV. In that state, all I could think about was one thing “I will not die. I cannot die. I have not yet fulfilled my purpose in life. I must not add to the riches of the graveyard”. I struggled to my feet and tried to make my way back to the road to seek help. Then a passenger bus stopped and helped me to the nearest hospital.

All the way to the hospital I was holding on for my dear life and what I still had to do in this life. At that moment I knew that if I could survive this trauma there was one major decision I had to take. That decision would be to go all out and fulfill my life’s purpose. Up until this point fear of the unknown had been holding me back. This in my opinion is what keeps anyone from going all out to fulfill his or her purpose. I knew what I wanted to do. I knew it was God's plan for my life but I was too scared to fail; I didn’t want to face the reality that I could actually fail someday. But I remember the words of Thomas Watson when a young man asked him for some advice on how to succeed faster, he replied, "double your rate of failure".

I had no idea where my wife was. I didn't know what could have become of her but I knew somehow that she would be fine. After I got help to a hospital, my wife came in with a policeman. Actually a passerby who saw when the robbers pushed her out of my moving vehicle had helped her. The Good Samaritan got her a commercial motorcycle rider who took her to the nearest police station. In all of these I could feel the presence of God. I knew He would not let me die. I felt his love and mercy right there in the bushes where the robbers left me to die. I knew He was in total control and I spoke to him. I told Him He could not allow me to die because I had not yet accomplished that for which he made me.

By the sheer grace of God, I survived the bullet that tore through my side, missing my heart, piercing my lungs and puncturing my lower arm muscle. I was taken back to the city were I underwent surgery and stayed until I recovered fully. Post recovery I returned to my high profile job for a few months knowing I was destined to do much more. After three months I resigned and resumed my new career, which is motivational speaking. I am eternally grateful that I had that experience that transformed how I view life and how I live each day. I have more value for each breathe I now take and realize its all for a bigger purpose than getting a monthly pay cheque. I spend my life now sharing my knowledge, experience, skill and passion with people all across Africa. My goal is to motivate and inspire people to go beyond their limitations to achieve great things for their companies and personal lives.  You life is yours to take, make the most of it.

Story as told by: Victor Diali

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