Opinion : Two thumbs up for hearing from Roger Ebert : Sidney Herald, Sidney, Montana

Two thumbs up for hearing from Roger Ebert

Published on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 3:03 PM MDT

From left field
Harry Lipsiea

Last week while searching the Internet, I laid eyes on the happiest man I have ever seen. He wasn't an actor receiving an Academy Award or a basketball player being interviewed after a game-winning shot; just a man who is thankful for his voice to be heard again.

Roger Ebert displayed a sense of jubilation that I don’t think I’ve ever seen last week during a recent television appearance. The famed film critic, who has been unable to speak since 2006 due to complications after surgery related to his thyroid cancer, communicated using new technology created by a Scottish computer programmer.

While he will never physically be able to eat, drink or speak again, he can be heard again. Ebert has used a computer to communicate since 2008, but now the sound matches the man. Programmers from CereProc used clips from several DVD commentaries to produce a computer generated voice all his own: his voice.

“Uncanny. A good feeling,” he said with two thumbs up in the air when asked how he felt about the new technology. While his appearance has been greatly affected by cancer, Ebert, who lost his jaw and lower floor of his mouth due to complications in surgery, is not considering reconstructive surgery to patch his face together.

There is even more good news for Ebert as he is currently cancer-free and continues reviewing films for the Chicago-Sun Times. His life is as productive and happy as ever, the film critic said.

With our hardest and most difficult times, comes the ability to learn life lessons. As painful as the past four years must have been for Ebert, he hopes to use his experiences to help others.

“I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do,” he said.

I applaud and admire Ebert and all the others in the world who fight through all the challenges of life with a smile. The quality of our life is only as good as the attitude we possess, and to everyone who finds happiness in adversity I give you two big thumbs up.

Harry Lipsiea is the sports reporter for the Sidney Herald. He can be reached at 406-433-2403 | sports@sidneyherald.com

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