London: Volleys of fireworks lit up the night sky, Beverley Knight belted out "I am what I am," and Britain's first Paralympic gold medallist lit the cauldron to open the 2012 London Paralympic Games.
It was a night of empowerment for the disabled worldwide. "Enlightenment" was the theme, physicist Stephen Hawking the guide and Olympic Stadium the venue on Wednesday as the British capital welcomed 4,200 athletes from more than 160 nations.
Who better to greet the Paralympians than a scientist who has shown that physical disabilities do not limit human potential?
"The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world. We are all different, there is no such thing as a standard or run-of-the-mill human being but we share the same human spirit," said Hawking, who was given two years to live in 1963 after he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease....
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09:15 AM, Aug 30, 2012
