A Comeback Story by Christopher

A Comeback Story by Christopher - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

January 4, 2014 was a sad day for Philadelphia Eagles fans. Chip Kelly’s first season as head coach ended with a heart-breaking, home playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. The city of Philadelphia was in tears mourning the loss. Nearly everyone was upset. Except me.
Being born and raised in Southeastern Pennsylvania, most people would naturally expect me to be an Eagles fan. But for many years, I have been a proud member of the “Who Dat Nation,” known as the New Orleans Saints. However, I did not wake up one day and say, “I’m going to root for a team 1,243 miles away.” Rather, I was swayed by one football player who has had a great influence on my life.
Ever since I was eight years old, Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been my favorite sportsman. Brees' Sunday performances are simply awe-inspiring, even after suffering what might have been a career ending injury to his throwing shoulder. In fact, this life-changing experience inspired Brees to write a book about his challenges. He titled it, "Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity." In his memoir, Drew Brees describes how confronting adversity, while difficult, only makes us stronger and more positive people. Naturally, being the Drew Brees fan that I am, I got a copy of it for myself. Upon reading "Coming Back Stronger," I found it to be an amazing book full of both difficulties and achievements, including a Super Bowl win for the New Orleans Saints. Little did I know that as I grew older, my favorite football player’s memoir would have a great impact on my life.
Back in seventh grade, I accidentally ran into a wall while playing dodge ball during gym class. In the following weeks, I tried going back to school, only to discover that I could not read or write and had lost much of my past knowledge. I was eventually diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. In the face of my adversity, as I traveled the road to recovery, I remembered Brees’ book, "Coming Back Stronger." Hearing his story again, of how he came back from a horrific injury, stronger than he was before, gave me the inspiration to turn a glaring circumstance into a positive experience.
In his memoir, "Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity," Drew Brees breaks down the way he overcame the adversities in his life, similar to the way he breaks down plays on the football field. One of the first lessons I learned from his book was “setbacks are a part of the journey, and will ultimately make you stronger.” This advice Brees gives in his book was very helpful in my recovery. As I attended numerous rehabilitation therapies while relearning how to read and write, there were many setbacks and rough days along the way. Through Brees’ book, I also discovered the power of positivity. Brees writes how he has always believed “that it takes just one positive turn of events to get momentum going in the other direction. Once that happens, one good thing leads into another, and then another. Pretty soon, you find yourself riding a wave of good things.” While sometimes there’s no way of preventing “a bumpy flight,” a positive attitude can really make a difference so that there can be a “smooth landing.” From my experience, I truly believe that through hard work, determination, and a positive attitude, anything is possible. Yet, the greatest influence from "Coming Back Stronger" is one of “faith.”
To this day, I followed a guideline that I learned from Brees in his memoir. It is called F-A-I-T-H: Fortitude, Attitude, Integrity, Trust, and Humility. Within the book, Drew Brees describes what each word means, not just the dictionary definition; rather, what the words mean at a personal level. Fortitude is the toughness and courage to never give up. Attitude means keeping a “half-full” approach to life, while Integrity is being honest to yourself and keeping the goals you set. Trust means believing in yourself and your “teammates.” Lastly, Humility sums up teamwork, approaching each day and obstacle with a selfless mentality. By embodying these powerful qualities, I was able to relearn all my past knowledge and thankfully return to school. Even in my life now, I confront the struggles I face by having the resilience and FAITH to do so.
Despite the challenges that may lie ahead, I look to each and every day as an opportunity to keep moving forward. Through the lessons of adversity, and Drew Brees’ memoir, "Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing The Power of Adversity," I became the person I am today. Though neither I nor anyone else can be the quarterback Drew Brees is; being able to pass on the same inspiration he gave me through his story, may be the greatest “pass” ever.