http://www.npr.org/2011/11/06/142031957/blindness-not-enough-to-sideline-california-teen?ps=cprs
At first I was looking at blog entries about the Penn State scandal to write about, but then somehow I found this article about a boy who plays high school football. This isn’t just any typical boy though. Tim Howell, a fifteen year old who plays center, is blind. I found the story to be very inspiring so I thought it would be a good idea to share it here on this blog.
Tim Howell was diagnosed with cancer as a baby and after a year of radiation and chemotherapy, he lost both of his eyes. Most people would be discouraged by this, but not Tim. Ever since he was little, he has been achieving what most think is the impossible. He learned the alphabet in Braille when he was only in preschool and now as a sophomore in high school he’s on the junior varsity football team. He is treated like everyone else when he is on the field too. At times he can take some hard hits, but compared to what he has been through, he is used to taking hits as they come. Even though he is not given any slack, his teammates are always there to help him. Simple verbal cues can help a lot for Howell such as where he needs to be before the play starts or where the ball is.
This story was inspiring to me because despite all of the odds Tim faces, he still acts like a typical teenage boy. We can all learn a lesson from Howell. Not only has he made the football team, but his ultimate goal is to make varsity and even possibly play in college. He doesn’t let his disability stop him from doing anything.
Rachel Bullard
This is a fascinating story. It never ceases to amaze me how humans can overcome adversary. Surely there are few challenges as difficult to overcome as loss of sight and yet, here is someone that not only has dealt with it everyday, he excels. never let it be said that something is "too hard" or "impossible." Figure out what you need to do and then do it. This young man is going to excel in life further than many of his contemporaries that take sight for granted. He has learned that there is nothing that can hold him back and there is no doubt that he will keep that mindset.
ReplyDeleteI would have never thought a blind boy would be able to play on a high school football team. It is an amazing story!
ReplyDelete-Britney Villafane
I think this is a heartwarming story, Rachel. Great find! This story really shows what it means to rise above an obstacle and really show what you are made of. Most people would give up and just resort to saying "that's too hard for me, why should I try?" But Tim challenges blind and sighted people alike. If a blind man can play football, what can the rest of us do??
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article I am very inspired to be grateful for all that I have, especially when it comes to sports. I could never imagine the difficulty of trying to compete without seeing. Sports are something that most people, who are fully capable, fail at, and to be able to play without being able to see if truly inspirational. Everyone really needs to take a step back from their hectic lives and be thankful for the abilities they have, that many others do not. Rachel, I think this was a great choice for the blog. Anyone who reads this can benifit from the information.
ReplyDelete-Ariana Darcy