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Broken Piece #2 - Susan Boyle

For those of you who are not sure who is Susan Boyle, she was the second place winner to the show "Britain's Got Talent" in 2009. She sang the famous song from Les Misérables "I Dreamed the Dream". Since the show, Susan had been making guest appearances on a variety of shows and recorded several albums. Susan's first album alone broke several chart-records and was very well received around the world. I believe why she had such incredible appeal was because she was a perfect representative of all the 'regular people' in the world. She didn't come in flashy or striking but, modest and humble. When a person like Susan is thrown into the whirlwind of concerts, parties, media, and money, it's very difficult to stay grounded and not having your own personal world torn apart. Sadly for Susan Boyle, her tiny universe is crumbling. First, she did have a health scare when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes that prompted her to lose weight. Second, Susan got into a bitter dispute with her brother Garry (but, they have since reconciled). Third, and in my opinion - huge, her sister Bridie McCaw died in October of 2015 from cancer.  Bridie was the main force behind getting her sister Susan to even sing at all. She would always encourage her to go out and record the albums, perform in concerts, her daughter Joanna Crawford is Susan's personal assistant! From what I've read so far, Susan just hasn't been the same since...which leads me to this sad story from Fox News:


[On June 26, 2017 “Britain’s Got Talent’s” Susan Boyle is reportedly being targeted by a gang of up to 15 teenagers who have, according to witnesses, gone to her home, thrown burning paper in her face and viciously threatened her.
The Mirror reported the 56-year-old Scottish singer has been harassed by teens in her neighborhood of Blackburn in Scotland.
Witnesses claimed the entertainer, who was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in 2012, was seen hiding on a bus while a group of people threw stones at the vehicle.
“Another time 10-15 of them were surrounding and throwing stuff,” one witness told the UK-based publication. “They lit a piece of paper and threw it at her face.”
Another bystander stated, “I was going inside the Mill Centre, Susan was walking out and they were all standing at the entrance and they said to her ‘Why don’t you get yourself a pair of glasses you ugly, old b---h.’ It’s horrendous.”
A rep for Boyle told The Mirror her team is reaching out to police to ensure her safety.]


As the article stated…Susan Boyle was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. I believe the biggest things to take away from this is her Asperger’s condition and the loss of her sister. I realize Susan Boyle has certain demands that are written into her contract but, I think what many in the press are not quite getting is when you have Asperger’s and things happen to you like they did for Susan, your whole world can completely implode. I’m not surprised that she hasn’t been able to make appearances or complete a new album or even go on tour. Can she get past this? Yes. I really believe she can and she may already have, but she will have to still readjust her thinking and how she will deal with the same things now since her sister has died.

I completely agree that the attack was childish and unwarranted. I would question the people of the town since they lay claim that they were a close community of only about 5,000 people, how could this happen. I will say it really warms my heart that there was public outrage from the assault and how people came together for her defense. I've been a witness to the fall of support of people who are unwilling to stand together in the defense of a victim who is autistic. I feel like that the times are changing in regards to the bullying of people with special needs but, I still think we have quite a ways to go. I say that only because I have witnesses too many times when other 'average' autistic adults are bullied but, where is the public outrage for them? As I wrote earlier about Graham Gentles, where was the condemnation for the Target Corporation? Where is the justice? I know I could pull up countless number of cases where special needs people are being unfairly treated with no repercussions in their actions but, I think you get the general idea.


I really hope that Susan Boyle can step back up to the microphone and share with the world the gift that God gave her. Susan's story about her mental condition when she first thought she was deprived of oxygen only to find out later that it was in fact correctly diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome is inspiring. Susan really became that 'every-man' because she wasn’t going to pretend to be something that people thought she should be. Through this trial that she is facing, I can only pray that God gives her the strength to get past all the huge hurdles that had gotten in her way.


‘I don't see my Asperger's as a disability - I see it as an opportunity for people to understand and stop prejudging,’ she went on to say.
‘I hope that the awareness created will help other people to see that just because you have a diagnosis, it doesn't need to limit your opportunities in life. You can go out and achieve whatever you darn well want!’ 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2853877/It-s-early-days-s-nice-guy-Chart-topper-Susan-Boyle-finds-boyfriend-53.html#ixzz4qyqXD59c 



Song of Inspiration [Check it out on iTunes or Android!]:

Song: "You Raise Me Up"

Artist: Susan Boyle

Album: Hope





Here's the video for the selected song:




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