Myth-busting

When former South African President Nelson Mandela celebrated his 91st birthday this past Saturday, it was without fanfare or any large galas. Instead, the former political prisoner spent the day at home in Johannesburg with his family. His wife, Graca Machel, said he still keeps busy working with his charities but has slowed down, something he finds frustrating.

Nelson is “a very proud person,” Graca explains. “He is vain so when he realizes that he can't walk tall and firm like he used to be, he doesn't like it.” In an unusually blunt statement on his weakening health Machel also explained how hard it was for her to see him getting so old. “To see him aging is something that pains you. You understand you know it has to happen.” He is, after all, just like every other human being.

Even as he ages, though, Nelson Mandela's message remains crucial -- which is why “Mandela Day,” his birthday, aims to promote the values of Nelson Mandela long after he is gone. Mandela Day is a “way of demystifying, that only extraordinary people can do can make a difference.”

“Everyone,” she says, “can be a little like Mandela if you care about others, you care about their wellbeing, you want them to have a real smile, they feel worthy, they are loved, they are cared and that's what you can do.”