John Mccarthy's tale of overcoming adversity is a harrowing yet inspiring one. While working as a journalist in Lebanon, John was kidnapped by Islamic Jihadists and held captive for 5 years and 4 months, making him the longest held British kidnap victim. Recounting his terrifying ordeal, John can tap into how he dealt with the day to day of his captivity, a story that displays courage and extreme mental resilience. He can also detail how he readapted to life and work upon his release. Unknowing of when or if he would ever escape, John showed immense bravery throughout his torment.
In April 1986, Beirut had been deemed too dangerous for foreign journalists. While on his way to the airport, at the end of his first foreign assignment and the conclusion of a send off with colleagues, he was intercepted while on the way to the airport. He was thrown into the back of a car by masked Jihadists and kept in captivity. The next 1943 days were to prove torturous for John who would endure physical and mental torture. Alongside cell-mate, Brian Keenan who is an Irish philosopher, the duo struck up an enduring friendship, that would in many ways keep them motivated to survive the ordeal. Together they established methods of dealing with the horrifying situation they had found themselves in.
Following his release, John co-wrote bestselling book, Some Other Rainbow with Jill Morell, who had campaigned for his release. He would also write Between Extremes which would see him and fellow hostage, Keenan travel Patagonia and detail their journey. His story would also become the subject of documentaries that include, Out of the Shadows for ITV which saw him return to Beirut to confront the ghosts of his past. John is able to paint a harrowing picture of his humbling, frightening and inspiring experiences at his presentations, making his keynote speeches sought-after on stages all around the world. His influential speeches offer audiences advice on communication, teamwork, building meaningful relationships, self-motivation and a will to win.
How to hire John McCarthy
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring John McCarthy for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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“John Exceeded our expectations – he had over 200 photographs taken and in everyone he smiled! The presentation itself could only inspire others.” - IIP Celebration Evening
“Very professional and natural presentation style. Articulate and humorous in delivering this horrific and arduous recollection of events. Excellent feedback from clients attending.” - “Very professional and natural presentation style. Articulate and humorous in delivering this horrific and arduous recollection of events. Excellent feedback from clients attending.” - Business West Business Dinner
“For many people, John’s speech was the highlight of the conference. The key word that was used to summarise his speech was “inspirational”. He captivated the entire audience and commanded their full attention with his powerful story from beginning to end.” - Royal Bank of Scotland
"Please pass my thanks onto both Raheela and John for such a fantastic session – we had a really high level of engagement and Brit people are already sharing how inspiring they found the panel." - James, HMS Advisory
"Thanks so much for your perspectives and contributions to the session this morning. It landed well and I think we found a good balance of powerful experiences, perspectives, and practical steps that people can take. I thoroughly enjoyed the session and thank you for being so warm and open in your reflections on all of the questions." - Oliver, Associate Director, HMS Advisory
