MOTIVATIONAL speaker Michael Crossland encouraged young people from across the state to be "driven and determined to make the world a better place" at the Dubbo Theatre and Convention Centre yesterday.
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Mr Crossland hosted the 2013 NSW Youth Council Conference and received a standing ovation from the strong crowd as he finished sharing his inspirational personal story.
"It has been a privilege and honour to host the youth conference... and such an honour to meet you all," he said.
The three day event organised by the Dubbo City Youth Council welcomed more than 100 young people from all corners of the state.
Mr Crossland said he was 11 months old when he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the central nervous system called Neuroblastoma.
This tumour had taken over half of his body and survival was near impossible.
However he defied the odds and cheated death playing baseball and rising through the ranks in the banking world.
"I was living out of a suitcase driven by money and power but I missed family and was lonely, depressed and unhappy," he said.
"I had it all. Driving a $100,000 sports car, wearing Armani suits and real Rolex watches but my definition of success wasn't working."
Mr Crossland emotionally recalled the time he was struck with a stroke two years ago which changed his life.
The stroke paralysed the right side of his body and he prayed that God would take him so he could escape the pain.
"Thankfully, God didn't listen to me," he said.
"I got better and I wanted to master two things in life- the gift of giving and success."
Mr Crossland travelled to Haiti in January 2012 after the country was ravaged by an earthquake to rebuild a school for 120 people.
With security guards around him and a translator ready he recalled an emotional time.
"As I got out of the car and walked to the mountain, I saw an eight year old who had a loaf of bread and was running," he said.
"The security guards shot him dead. His family couldn't afford to pay for food."
After seeing the struggles of the locals he rebuilt a run down orphanage to give the children who lost family some hope.
"There was a seven year old who was found under the rubble after the earthquake struck," he said.
"He lost his mum, dad, brothers and sisters. He was happy to be in the orphanage as it was his new family but he was a little upset when it rained as the roof leaked and he got wet.
"'But don't worry, I always get wet because I sleep with two young boys who still wet their pants and I'm happy,'" the boy said."
Mr Crossland told the delegates there was always someone out there who had it tougher than them.
He encouraged them to be hopeful and to live each day as if it was their last.
"This is the definition of success- people helping people," he said.
"Imagine the world where each day you wake up you make a difference in someone's life."
