Parathlete Devon Berry Visits Campus

October 19, 2018 Macee Hall, Staff Writer
Devon Berry speaking at HSU on 10/17

Devon Berry speaking at HSU on 10/17

On October 17, 2018, Hardin-Simmons was honored to host the inspirational Devon Berry, who shared his uplifting story of success with HSU faculty, staff, students, and the Abilene community. The Physician’s Assistant program hosted Berry, a student-athlete who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at age three. The event was held as a fundraiser for the PA program’s upcoming mission trip to the Dominican Republic that will take place in May of 2019. Berry is an author, student, and motivational speaker who spreads the message of success through Christ to an international audience.

Before Berry’s birth, his mother had been warned that there may be severe complications with either Berry or his twin sister and was advised to terminate the pregnancy. Berry’s mother turned to her faith and continued to carry the twins until they were born prematurely in December of 1996. When asked later why she chose to remain pregnant in the face of complications, Berry’s mother quoted Luke 1:37, which reads, “for, with God, nothing shall be impossible.” Berry’s twin sister, Destiny, continued to grow as expected, but as she started to stand and walk, Berry showed difficulty keeping up and continued to crawl and scoot across the floor. Three years later, while the family was struggling with homelessness and the start of a complicated divorce, Berry was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral Palsy refers to a group of neurological disorders that affect the area of the brain that controls muscle movement, the cerebral cortex. Cerebral Palsy is a lifelong condition that currently has no known cure. Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy can be observed in the muscular action of the body and vary among individuals with the condition. Symptoms include ataxia, a lack of muscle coordination when moving voluntarily, spasticity, stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes, variations in muscle tone, a crouched or scissored gait, tremors, difficulty with precise movements like buttoning shirts or writing, and difficulty speaking, in some cases.

Berry has used this condition to his advantage, refusing to let this disability hold him back from completing his goals, and instead using it to inspire crowds and spread God’s love. At the age of twelve, he asked his mother if he could play football. After some convincing, Berry convinced his mother to allow him to play. While he attended Hampton High School in Georgia, Berry was on the varsity football team, the wrestling team, and the track and field team, where he threw shot put. In 2015, he received an offer to wrestle for St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, and then he transferred to Texas Christian University in 2017.

Berry is an international speaker who published his first book, “The Devon Berry Story: Facing your Fears,” in 2017. He has spoken at an Adidas conference and is speaking with many other large corporations about collaborating with them and about inspiring their workforce. He states that one of his life goals is to inspire others. When he first asked to play football, his father asked, “Why do you want to play football?” Berry responded, “Because I want to inspire.”

In October of 2006, Berry underwent his last leg surgery. Doctors told him that his leg may have to be amputated. Berry was at a low point of his life. “I thought it was over, but God said no. You’re going to be right here. You’re not done,” says Berry. Berry claims that God changed his life that day and moved him to be an inspiration and to achieve his goals. He firmly believes that “you have to go through adversity to reap any of the benefits.” 

When asked about what inspires him, Berry responded with a name: Kyle Maynard. Maynard is a speaker, author, and athlete who was born with quadruple congenital amputation. He was born with arms that end at the elbow and legs that end at around the knee. Maynard played football in school, and his personal website labels him as “a champion wrestler, CrossFit Certified Instructor and gym owner, competitive MMA/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, world record-setting weightlifter, and skilled mountaineer.” Berry says that if Maynard could become a successful athlete, then he could, too.

Berry speaks on what he calls a play-to-win attitude at his events. “Don’t be complacent because there is someone always watching, and they want your opportunity. Don’t let them take it,” he advises. “Do you want to be stopped or do you want to succeed?” He states that to be successful, one must be determined to win, have a desire to complete the task at hand, persevere through the challenges that arise, and execute the mission.

He says that education is driving force for success. Berry claims that “it is ok to be an athlete, but it is more important to be a student.” Placed in special education classes at a young age due to stereotyping, Berry worked hard to prove his academic intelligence. Berry was a high school honors student and was awarded academic scholarships during his transfer to TCU. He says that being an athlete is good but working hard on grades and academic performance is what makes someone stand out in a collegiate environment.

Toward the end of his visit, Berry opened the floor for questions. He was asked what advice he would give to someone who was uncomfortable around people with disabilities. Berry responded that he is the type of person who likes to make others uncomfortable, saying that “uncomfortable is when you grow so I’m the type of individual that will roll up and introduce myself… I would say to the individual, ‘what would you do if that was you?’” He advises people who may hold preconceived notions about those with disabilities to “give that person the opportunity to be themselves. Give everyone an even shot. Put them on the same playing field. They’re human overall.” He also gave advice to future medical professionals, saying that they should “be a friend. Get to know that individual for who they really are.”

Looking toward the future, Berry aims to be a member of the 2020 United States Paralympic Team. He is currently partnering with Adidas to create a leg brace for disabled athletes that will include both heating and cooling systems. Berry is a double major in TCU’s Neeley School of Business and the Bob Schieffer College of Communication. He aims to develop a team to stand behind him and to create a platform for other people to tell their stories.

Berry inspired HSU faculty, staff, students, and members of the Abilene community with his testimony of what one can achieve with God. He encourages those around him to strive for excellence without excuse. Through his ministry, Berry inspires others to follow in his footsteps and ask God to use them. Berry states, “instead of why me, I said god, try me,” and encourages others to allow themselves to be challenged and to fight complacency. In today’s world, so many are caught in what is comfortable. Berry urges the world to be open and to be driven while holding a positive outlook and abandoning all excuses. In the words of Berry, “the only disability in life is a bad attitude.”

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