“I just takes one adult to show up and save a kid’s life. Someone who is going to love him, and never give up on him,” says Rosie O’Donnell, American comedienne and founder of Rosie’s Theatre Kids, who is one of the phenomenal women interviewed on TLC’s Mother’s Day special show, Extraordinary Moms.
The show features some of the most inspiring women from different walks of life, who have proven their mantle professionally, and have fulfilled the most important role in their lives — of being a mother.
Hosted by Academy award-winning actress Julia Roberts (herself a mother of three), Extraordinary Moms brings forth women’s saga of fitting into different roles, adapting to difficult situations, and emerging victorious by creating a beautiful and safe world for not just their own children, but those across the world. The show starts off with award-winning journalist Christiane Amanpour, who is known for her daring reportage from war zones. “Where there is war, there is Amanpour,” was a phrase commonly used in newsrooms. But this image soon gave way to motherhood. “Being a mother to my son Darius is the proudest achievement for me. Before that it was being a foreign correspondent,” says a smiling Amanpour. This transformation, however, was not that easy. Amanpour lived under the illusion that life would remain the same, except may be, she would “take her son on the field, wrap him up in bullet-proof gear.”
These illusions were soon shattered. “On my first assignment after my son was born, I was crippled with fear. I had never been afraid on the field before, or cared so much about my personal safety,” says this braveheart journalist, who has kept a piece of missile that was hurtled at the site from where she was reporting. “Being a mother teaches you about love in a whole different way. It is a complete 100 per cent love that is totally unconditional. I hope that some day my son can see that any woman, like his mother, can work hard, be successful, and love at the same time. I hope that he has a healthy regard for all women, and their role inside, as well as outside their homes,” the proud mother explains.
While Amanpour proves to be an idol for all the working mothers out there, American comedienne O’Donnell’s story will inspire many to care for the underprivileged. “I always knew that I would be a mom someday,” says the lesbian actress who lost her mother to breast cancer when she was just 11. But the void was soon filled by her school teacher who inspired O’Donnell to pursue her dreams.
“I decided to adopt a child when I was 32, and I remember the overwhelming sensation when I held my son for the first time. I kept sobbing because I had no mother figure who could guide me or tell me what to do,” she says. O’Donnell soon became the mother of three more adopted children. But her longing to give back to society led her to establish a foundation called Rosie’s Theatre Kids, to help children from backward neighbourhoods hone their creative abilities. Now, O’Donnell is like a ‘second mom’ to all these children from troubled homes. “People come up to me and praise me for adopting four kids. But the truth is that they are the ones who saved me. My actions were kind of selfish. Children are like life preservers. Mothers, on the other hand, are like a protective presence. A home forever.”
The story of inspirational moms does not end there. Known to be the most powerful woman in the world, US State Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton also takes pride in being a mother first. Greatly influenced by her mother Dorothy Rodham and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, Clinton describes the birth of her daughter Chelsea as an awe-inspiring event. “My mother is my personal inspiration. She taught me to stand up for myself. Jackie Kennedy, on the other hand, told me to have courage and confidence,” says Clinton, who has constantly addressed the issue of women’s empowerment at world forums.
Apart from these three famous women, Extraordinary Moms also showcases the lives of lesser known achievers — including Margaret Martins (founder of Harmony Project), Mayisha Akbar (founder of Compton Jr Posse) and marathoner-activist Norma Bastitas — who have all had humble beginnings at home and later reached out to children across communities to help them build a promising future.
Don’t miss this uplifting and inspiring tribute to motherhood. Watch Extraordinary Moms this Mother’s Day, on March 12, at 3 pm and 7 pm on TLC.
