Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother boarded what would be the last international flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil ignited. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country, starting from scratch with barely any resources or support. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. In that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the social economic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend my college of choice, the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated out of state tuition of $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships, so that money won’t be a hinderance to my success.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I learned that for the first 5 days, a ventilator had been my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Before the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Exercise Science as a pathway to advancing to a profession in Sports Medicine, with a focus on working with athletes. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, West Africa, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host a fully funded inaugural basketball camp for underprivileged youth in 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia. My professional goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Medical Professional. I plan to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained nurses and other medical professionals rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. I cannot afford to attend the College of Charleston without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $35,000 I need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship, which will provide funding to support my undergraduate college pursuit.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was an adversity that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was an adversity that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother boarded what would be the last international flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil ignited. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country, starting from scratch with barely any resources or support. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. In that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the social economic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend my college of choice, the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated out of state tuition of $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships, so that money won’t be a hinderance to my success.

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother boarded what would be the last international flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil ignited. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country, starting from scratch with barely any resources or support. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. In that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the social economic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend my college of choice, the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated out of state tuition of $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships, so that money won’t be a hinderance to my success.

When I opened my eyes on that fateful day in November 2021, I vividly remembered thinking to myself, “I’m alive.” Then it hit me, and I tried to exclaim out loud, “WOW, I AM ALIVE.” I couldn’t speak or move my head (due to a neck brace, the ventilator and a paralytic…more on that later), but I managed to scan my peripheral and saw an angelic figure grinning at me. She was standing in front of the window, as if she had just opened the blinds, and turned abruptly to gaze at me. Her expression was a mixture of surprise, excitement, relief and most of all, warmth. The first face I saw that fateful day was my nurse and the look on his face assured me that I would be okay. I am blessed to come from a family of intellectuals and professionals. We are lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers and the list goes on and on, but very few of us are clinicians. So, although I knew growing up that I could be anything I wanted to be, the idea of being a nurse had never crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because I did not know what nursing entailed. Before my experience in the ICU (and later Stepdown then rehab), I thought of nurses simply as physicians’ helpmates, individuals who followed orders and distributed medications; boy was I wrong. During my not so brief hospitalization, I came to see nurses as so much more; the nurses I was privileged to encounter were friends, counselors, therapists, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, snack bringers and more. A little backstory: I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am determined to be the kind of nurse who infuses his patients with hope, in addition to being a healing, helping hand. My nurses held me up when I took my first shaky steps, they cheered me on when I insisted on feeding myself, they prayed with my mom and dad when I was unconscious, and they brought me snacks when I was permitted solid foods (which was very exciting following a liquid diet). My nurses were compassionate, competent and stern (when needed), and while I know that every single member of the healthcare team played a vital role in my recovery, my nurses gave me that extra push I needed when times were low. They never let me forget that I would be okay. I plan to study pediatric nursing because of my passion for children. Particularly, I plan to become a pediatric ICU nurse because I want to work with those children who need the most care. Today, as I near completion of my freshman year of college, I eagerly look forward to starting my nursing courses so that one day I will be the first face a patient sees when they open their eyes, and I pray I will always exude the compassion and competence patients need to rest assured that they too will be okay.

When I opened my eyes on that fateful day in November 2021, I vividly remembered thinking to myself, “I’m alive.” Then it hit me, and I tried to exclaim out loud, “WOW, I AM ALIVE.” I couldn’t speak or move my head (due to a neck brace, the ventilator and a paralytic…more on that later), but I managed to scan my peripheral and saw an angelic figure grinning at me. She was standing in front of the window, as if she had just opened the blinds, and turned abruptly to gaze at me. Her expression was a mixture of surprise, excitement, relief and most of all, warmth. The first face I saw that fateful day was my nurse and the look on his face assured me that I would be okay. I am blessed to come from a family of intellectuals and professionals. We are lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers and the list goes on and on, but very few of us are clinicians. So, although I knew growing up that I could be anything I wanted to be, the idea of being a nurse had never crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because I did not know what nursing entailed. Before my experience in the ICU (and later Stepdown then rehab), I thought of nurses simply as physicians’ helpmates, individuals who followed orders and distributed medications; boy was I wrong. During my not so brief hospitalization, I came to see nurses as so much more; the nurses I was privileged to encounter were friends, counselors, therapists, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, snack bringers and more. A little backstory: I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am determined to be the kind of nurse who infuses his patients with hope, in addition to being a healing, helping hand. My nurses held me up when I took my first shaky steps, they cheered me on when I insisted on feeding myself, they prayed with my mom and dad when I was unconscious, and they brought me snacks when I was permitted solid foods (which was very exciting following a liquid diet). My nurses were compassionate, competent and stern (when needed), and while I know that every single member of the healthcare team played a vital role in my recovery, my nurses gave me that extra push I needed when times were low. They never let me forget that I would be okay. I plan to study pediatric nursing because of my passion for children. Particularly, I plan to become a pediatric ICU nurse because I want to work with those children who need the most care. Today, as I near completion of my freshman year of college, I eagerly look forward to starting my nursing courses so that one day I will be the first face a patient sees when they open their eyes, and I pray I will always exude the compassion and competence patients need to rest assured that they too will be okay.

When I opened my eyes on that fateful day in November 2021, I vividly remembered thinking to myself, “I’m alive.” Then it hit me, and I tried to exclaim out loud, “WOW, I AM ALIVE.” I couldn’t speak or move my head (due to a neck brace, the ventilator and a paralytic…more on that later), but I managed to scan my peripheral and saw an angelic figure grinning at me. She was standing in front of the window, as if she had just opened the blinds, and turned abruptly to gaze at me. Her expression was a mixture of surprise, excitement, relief and most of all, warmth. The first face I saw that fateful day was my nurse and the look on his face assured me that I would be okay. I am blessed to come from a family of intellectuals and professionals. We are lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers and the list goes on and on, but very few of us are clinicians. So, although I knew growing up that I could be anything I wanted to be, the idea of being a nurse had never crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because I did not know what nursing entailed. Before my experience in the ICU (and later Stepdown then rehab), I thought of nurses simply as physicians’ helpmates, individuals who followed orders and distributed medications; boy was I wrong. During my not so brief hospitalization, I came to see nurses as so much more; the nurses I was privileged to encounter were friends, counselors, therapists, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, snack bringers and more. A little backstory: I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am determined to be the kind of nurse who infuses his patients with hope, in addition to being a healing, helping hand. My nurses held me up when I took my first shaky steps, they cheered me on when I insisted on feeding myself, they prayed with my mom and dad when I was unconscious, and they brought me snacks when I was permitted solid foods (which was very exciting following a liquid diet). My nurses were compassionate, competent and stern (when needed), and while I know that every single member of the healthcare team played a vital role in my recovery, my nurses gave me that extra push I needed when times were low. They never let me forget that I would be okay. I plan to study pediatric nursing because of my passion for children. Particularly, I plan to become a pediatric ICU nurse because I want to work with those children who need the most care. Today, as I near completion of my freshman year of college, I eagerly look forward to starting my nursing courses so that one day I will be the first face a patient sees when they open their eyes, and I pray I will always exude the compassion and competence patients need to rest assured that they too will be okay.

When I opened my eyes on that fateful day in November 2021, I vividly remembered thinking to myself, “I’m alive.” Then it hit me, and I tried to exclaim out loud, “WOW, I AM ALIVE.” I couldn’t speak or move my head (due to a neck brace, the ventilator and a paralytic…more on that later), but I managed to scan my peripheral and saw an angelic figure grinning at me. She was standing in front of the window, as if she had just opened the blinds, and turned abruptly to gaze at me. Her expression was a mixture of surprise, excitement, relief and most of all, warmth. The first face I saw that fateful day was my nurse and the look on his face assured me that I would be okay. I am blessed to come from a family of intellectuals and professionals. We are lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers and the list goes on and on, but very few of us are clinicians. So, although I knew growing up that I could be anything I wanted to be, the idea of being a nurse had never crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because I did not know what nursing entailed. Before my experience in the ICU (and later Stepdown then rehab), I thought of nurses simply as physicians’ helpmates, individuals who followed orders and distributed medications; boy was I wrong. During my not so brief hospitalization, I came to see nurses as so much more; the nurses I was privileged to encounter were friends, counselors, therapists, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, snack bringers and more. A little backstory: I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am determined to be the kind of nurse who infuses his patients with hope, in addition to being a healing, helping hand. My nurses held me up when I took my first shaky steps, they cheered me on when I insisted on feeding myself, they prayed with my mom and dad when I was unconscious, and they brought me snacks when I was permitted solid foods (which was very exciting following a liquid diet). My nurses were compassionate, competent and stern (when needed), and while I know that every single member of the healthcare team played a vital role in my recovery, my nurses gave me that extra push I needed when times were low. They never let me forget that I would be okay. Today, as I near completion of my freshman year of college, I eagerly look forward to starting my nursing courses so that one day I will be the first face a patient sees when they open their eyes, and I pray I will always exude the compassion and competence patients need to rest assured that they too will be okay. I plan to study pediatric nursing because of my passion for children. Particularly, I plan to become a pediatric ICU nurse because I want to work with those children who need the most care.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I learned that for the first 5 days, a ventilator had been my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Before the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Exercise Science as a pathway to advancing to a profession as a Sports Medicine Nurse , with a focus on working with athletes. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, West Africa, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host a fully funded inaugural basketball camp for underprivileged youth in 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia. My professional goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Nurse. I plan to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained nurses and other medical professionals rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. I am a strong candidate for the Robert and Suzi DeGennaro Scholarship for Disabled Students because I am a testament to tenacity and ambition. It is critical to understand that there is always opportunity in misfortune. I plan to dedicate my career to medical research, teaching and mentoring, which aligns with Nordson Builds foundational philosophy. Receiving the scholarship will assist me in funding my education, the first major step towards this goal.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

When I opened my eyes on that fateful day in November 2021, I vividly remembered thinking to myself, “I’m alive.” Then it hit me, and I tried to exclaim out loud, “WOW, I AM ALIVE.” I couldn’t speak or move my head (due to a neck brace, the ventilator and a paralytic…more on that later), but I managed to scan my peripheral and saw an angelic figure grinning at me. She was standing in front of the window, as if she had just opened the blinds, and turned abruptly to gaze at me. Her expression was a mixture of surprise, excitement, relief and most of all, warmth. The first face I saw that fateful day was my nurse and the look on his face assured me that I would be okay. I am blessed to come from a family of intellectuals and professionals. We are lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers and the list goes on and on, but very few of us are clinicians. So, although I knew growing up that I could be anything I wanted to be, the idea of being a nurse had never crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because I did not know what nursing entailed. Before my experience in the ICU (and later Stepdown then rehab), I thought of nurses simply as physicians’ helpmates, individuals who followed orders and distributed medications; boy was I wrong. During my not so brief hospitalization, I came to see nurses as so much more; the nurses I was privileged to encounter were friends, counselors, therapists, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, snack bringers and more. A little backstory: I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am determined to be the kind of nurse who infuses his patients with hope, in addition to being a healing, helping hand. My nurses held me up when I took my first shaky steps, they cheered me on when I insisted on feeding myself, they prayed with my mom and dad when I was unconscious, and they brought me snacks when I was permitted solid foods (which was very exciting following a liquid diet). My nurses were compassionate, competent and stern (when needed), and while I know that every single member of the healthcare team played a vital role in my recovery, my nurses gave me that extra push I needed when times were low. They never let me forget that I would be okay. Today, as I near completion of my freshman year of college, I eagerly look forward to starting my nursing courses as a pediatric nurse so that one day I will be the first face a patient sees when they open their eyes, and I pray I will always exude the compassion and competence patients need to rest assured that they too will be okay.

When I opened my eyes on that fateful day in November 2021, I vividly remembered thinking to myself, “I’m alive.” Then it hit me, and I tried to exclaim out loud, “WOW, I AM ALIVE.” I couldn’t speak or move my head (due to a neck brace, the ventilator and a paralytic…more on that later), but I managed to scan my peripheral and saw an angelic figure grinning at me. She was standing in front of the window, as if she had just opened the blinds, and turned abruptly to gaze at me. Her expression was a mixture of surprise, excitement, relief and most of all, warmth. The first face I saw that fateful day was my nurse and the look on his face assured me that I would be okay. I am blessed to come from a family of intellectuals and professionals. We are lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers and the list goes on and on, but very few of us are clinicians. So, although I knew growing up that I could be anything I wanted to be, the idea of being a nurse had never crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because I did not know what nursing entailed. Before my experience in the ICU (and later Stepdown then rehab), I thought of nurses simply as physicians’ helpmates, individuals who followed orders and distributed medications; boy was I wrong. During my not so brief hospitalization, I came to see nurses as so much more; the nurses I was privileged to encounter were friends, counselors, therapists, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, snack bringers and more. A little backstory: I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am determined to be the kind of nurse who infuses his patients with hope, in addition to being a healing, helping hand. My nurses held me up when I took my first shaky steps, they cheered me on when I insisted on feeding myself, they prayed with my mom and dad when I was unconscious, and they brought me snacks when I was permitted solid foods (which was very exciting following a liquid diet). My nurses were compassionate, competent and stern (when needed), and while I know that every single member of the healthcare team played a vital role in my recovery, my nurses gave me that extra push I needed when times were low. They never let me forget that I would be okay. Today, as I near completion of my freshman year of college, I eagerly look forward to starting my nursing courses so that one day I will be the first face a patient sees when they open their eyes, and I pray I will always exude the compassion and competence patients need to rest assured that they too will be okay. I wish to specialize in pediatric nursing because I am passionate about children and understand the shortage of this particular specialization. Furthermore, I wish to become a Pediatric ICU nurse because of my experience in the ICU and the immense respect I have for those nurses who spent countless hours caring for me and helping me to heal.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable college freshman who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Today I am fully recovered, only by the Grace of God, and am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged teens, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Prior to the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for July 2024. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the recent death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young teens. I am also a college freshman who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged youth, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented kids who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The Foundation planned to host its first community event, an intensive boys’ basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was initially planned for December 2021. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged kids, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp, but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! We made a call for donations through a GoFundMe campaign and corporate sponsorships. The camp was budgeted at $5,000 USD and raised $7, 349 USD, with support of 44 donations! The commitment of individuals and organizations allowed us to carry out our mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession through cutting edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys. I am also a college freshman who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The Foundation planned to host its first community event, an intensive boys’ basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was initially planned for December 2021. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, by the Grace of God, and with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. My experience piqued my interest in studying Exercise Science as a pathway to Sports Medicine, a discipline that combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. Professionally, I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but I want to equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. The experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to change someone's life, even in a minute way With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp, but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! It is my goal to work both in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and supporting my passion for mentoring young people to achieve scholastic and academic excellence.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I learned that for the first 5 days, a ventilator had been my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Before the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Exercise Science as a pathway to advancing to a profession as a Sports Medicine Nurse , with a focus on working with athletes. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I experienced first hand the evolution of athletic strength and conditioning through my rehabilitation which involved physical, occupational and speech therapy. In the next 5-10 years I envision a profession that continues to promote practical teachings but with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In the second semester of my freshman year, I will be interning with the athletics department at my university, the College of Charleston. I am elated to begin this next phase of my academic journey as an exercise science major, working with the sports teams. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, West Africa, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host a fully funded inaugural basketball camp for underprivileged youth in 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia. My professional goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Nurse. I plan to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained nurses and other medical professionals rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I learned that for the first 5 days, a ventilator had been my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Before the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Exercise Science as a pathway to advancing to a profession as a Sports Medicine Nurse , with a focus on working with athletes. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I experienced first hand the evolution of athletic strength and conditioning through my rehabilitation which involved physical, occupational and speech therapy. In the next 5-10 years I envision a profession that continues to promote practical teachings but with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In the second semester of my freshman year, I will be interning with the athletics department at my university, the College of Charleston. I am elated to begin this next phase of my academic journey as an exercise science major, working with the sports teams. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, West Africa, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host a fully funded inaugural basketball camp for underprivileged youth in 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia. My professional goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Nurse. I plan to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained nurses and other medical professionals rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I learned that for the first 5 days, a ventilator had been my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Before the accident I explored working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. I previously attended Sports Medicine, Engineering and Physical Therapy camps during the summers before my junior and senior years. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Exercise Science as a pathway to advancing to a Doctor of Physical Therapy, with a focus on working with athletes. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I experienced first hand the evolution of athletic strength and conditioning through my rehabilitation which involved physical, occupational and speech therapy. In the next 5-10 years I envision a profession that continues to promote practical teachings but with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In the second semester of my freshman year, I will be interning with the athletics department at my university, the College of Charleston. I am elated to begin this next phase of my academic journey as an exercise science major, working with the sports teams. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, West Africa, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host a fully funded inaugural basketball camp for underprivileged youth in 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia. Through a fundraising campaign I initiated, there was no cost to the campers. My professional goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. I plan to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained therapists and other medical professionals rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

I am a scholar and an athlete who was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later, intubated and completely perplexed, wondering what happened. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I learned that for the first 5 days, a ventilator had been my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Day in and day out, I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, West Africa. Given the poor healthcare system, I ruminated on what would have happened if this accident had been in Liberia. Bluntly, I would be dead, just like so many others who have been injured and received poor medical care. With the critical lack of trained medical professionals, their chances of surviving and thriving after an accident such as mine are slim to none. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine optimization and mechanics as a profession, combining my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but to prevent future injuries. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and I have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience of nine formative years living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. With a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the funds needed, there was no cost to campers. A second camp is planned for December 2023. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who cannot harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to positively impact someone's life, even in a minute way. My accident propelled a work ethic that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their battles, much like I did. My professional goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor. I plan to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors and other medical professionals rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, is the autobiography of William Kamkwamba, a young African teen who built a windmill from junkyard scraps to generate electricity for his community of Masitala, a small village located on the outskirts of the town of Wimbe, in the Central Region of Malawi, South East Africa. The book is a tale of perseverance in the face of challenging obstacles, the most prevalent being pervasive poverty. William is fascinated with science and is enthusiastic about learning. When his family was too poor to pay his tuition and he could not stay in school he asked his friend Gilbert “Can I get your notes” so that he could study. He had a creative mind, which led him to build a windmill out of scrap metal which was used to provide energy to power an irrigation system that helped his poor rural community to avoid starvation. This is a story of survival and the drive for a better life and a way out of poverty. William, unable to attend school, studied at the library, taught himself to speak English, and graduated from one of Africa’s most prestigious schools. The author presents an inspirational account of how you can achieve anything with hard work and determination, no matter where you come from. William Kamkwamba teaches us that no matter how big your dreams are never give up until you realize them. As a young African-American teen, I was drawn to William’s story. I spent nine formative years growing up in Liberia, West Africa, the home of my mother. Liberia, like Malawi, is a very poor country and while I did not live in a rural village, I saw vestiges of poverty every day. I am not a scientist but I too experienced a major challenge in my life and I overcame it much like William did, with perseverance, determination and strong family support. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days in the ICU, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Like William, with my second chance, I chose to also give back and founded the Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys. I was proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022, which was fully funded through a fundraising campaign I initiated, with no cost to the campers. A second camp is planned for December 2023. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to positively impact someone's life and like William, support my community through innovation, determination and hope. I am majoring in Exercise Science as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Doctor. I plan to work both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. These are some of the core values that I, as a young man aspire to and have helped to shape me into the person I am today. According to the 2006 National Civic and Political Health Survey, seven percent of 15- to 25-year-old Americans participated in 10 or more volunteer activities within the previous year. When compared to their peers who report volunteer activities, this group was more likely to be African-American, urban, attend church regularly, from a family with parents who volunteer, a current student (in college or high school), and from a college-educated home. These findings encapsulate me. My church and my family have shaped me into the young man I am today. I am a scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident in November 2021, and with the help of an amazing team of medical professionals, I returned to full health and athletics. With my second chance, I chose to give back to my community through non-political civic engagement. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural camp for these kids in July 2022, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and empowerment initiatives. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. I also wanted to give back and empower my local community in Atlanta. I attend Victory Church in Norcross and volunteer with the Children’s Ministry. I employ my love for basketball and athletics as a coach for the little ones. I believe it is important to instill values in children starting at a young age and use my platform at church to do so. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of hardships and setbacks. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. I empower my core values of ethics, respect and perseverance, many of which I attribute to my upbringing in the church, in my work with my Foundation and with my church family.

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, is the autobiography of William Kamkwamba, a young African teen who built a windmill from junkyard scraps to generate electricity for his community of Masitala, a small village located on the outskirts of the town of Wimbe, in the Central Region of Malawi, South East Africa. The book is a tale of perseverance in the face of challenging obstacles, the most prevalent being pervasive poverty. William is fascinated with science and is enthusiastic about learning. He had a creative mind, which led him to building a windmill out of scrap metal which was used to provide energy to power an irrigation system which helped his community to avoid starvation. This is a story of survival and the drive for a better life and a way out of poverty. William, unable to attend school, studied at the library, taught himself to speak English, and graduated from one of Africa’s most prestigious schools. The author presents an inspirational account of how you can achieve anything with hard work and determination, no matter where you come from. William Kamkwamba teaches us that no matter how big your dreams are never given up until you realize them. As a young African-American teen, I was drawn to William’s story. I spent nine formative years in Liberia, West Africa, the home of my mother. Liberia, like Malawi, is a very poor country and while I did not live in a rural village, I saw vestiges of poverty every day. I am not a scientist but I too experienced a major challenge in my life and I overcame it much like William did, with perseverance, determination and strong family support. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days in ICU, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Like William, with my second chance, I chose to also give back and founded the Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization with mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys.

The ability to inspire others through your work ethic, courage, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks defines leadership. I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile presumably, for the first time in several days, as they see their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. Overcoming the trauma of my accident and reaching back to help others epitomizes leadership. I learned that there is always an opportunity, even in what we perceive as misfortune or obstacles.

The ability to inspire others through your work ethic, courage, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks defines leadership. I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile presumably, for the first time in several days, as they see their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. Overcoming the trauma of my accident and reaching back to help others epitomizes leadership. I learned that there is always an opportunity, even in what we perceive as misfortune or obstacles.

The ability to inspire others through your work ethic, courage, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks defines leadership. I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile presumably, for the first time in several days, as they see their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. Overcoming the trauma of my accident and reaching back to help others epitomizes leadership. I learned that there is always an opportunity, even in what we perceive as misfortune or obstacles.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I am also a college freshman who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The Foundation planned to host its first community event, an intensive boys’ basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was initially planned for December 2021. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. Overcoming the trauma of my accident and reaching back to help others is a life lesson. I learned that there is always an opportunity, even in what we perceive as misfortune or obstacles.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I am also a college freshman who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The Foundation planned to host its first community event, an intensive boys’ basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was initially planned for December 2021. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am playing basketball at full intensity. This experience made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for athletic and scholastic achievement. Overcoming the trauma of my accident and reaching back to help others is a life lesson. I learned that there is always an opportunity, even in what we perceive as misfortune or obstacles.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys. I am also a college freshman who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The Foundation planned to host its first community event, an intensive boys’ basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was initially planned for December 2021. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am running track and playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of hardships and setbacks. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. I believe my accident propelled a work ethic that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own battles, much like I did. It’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. My goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Pediatric Doctor, advancing the profession and mentoring young people. I am unable to afford to attend the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys. I am also a college freshman who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The Foundation planned to host its first community event, an intensive boys’ basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was initially planned for December 2021. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am running track and playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A second camp is planned for December 2023. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of hardships and setbacks. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. I believe my accident propelled a work ethic that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own battles, much like I did. It’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. My goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and mentoring young people. I am unable to afford to attend the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

Knowledge is power. This is a saying that resonates with all people of color. Whether you are African-American, African, Native-American, Latin-American and the like, it is a must that you equip yourself with the tools to thrive. This tool is a college education. I argue that this is the strongest competitive advantage that we have as a collective people to succeed. Yes, there are movie stars, musicians, professional sports players and others who have succeeded, but for every NBA player, you have 1,000 African Americans who make a living more traditionally. This traditional way has been a long road for our people. During the years of slavery, it was illegal to teach slaves to read or write. We were at a distinct disadvantage post-emancipation. Many African Americans were illiterate and relegated to doing the same work they did as slaves. The rise in the socioeconomic status of African Americans can be attributed to a rise in the educational levels, particularly attributed to Black colleges and universities. This education not only gave us a voice but began to build a solid foundation for future generations. In my generation, the importance of a college education was cemented with the election of President Barack Obama. Here was an African-American, who had ascended to the highest office through dedication, tenacity, and yes, a solid college education. One of my favorite proverbs is from Western Africa. “When you educate a child, you educate a nation”. Education, and specifically a college education is the key that unlocks positive change in our lives and in our communities. In November of 2021, I was in what could have been a fatal accident; but received a second chance. This accident left me with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. The accident piqued my interest in Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I will work with athletes to help them recover from injury, prevent future injury and provide them with natural methods of enhancing their athletic performance. With my second chance, I was also determined to give back and established the “Byrd Basketball Foundation'', a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship and achievement in teens. I was proud to raise funds and host a fully sponsored inaugural basketball camp for kids in Liberia in the summer of 2022. A second camp is planned for December 2022. That is just the beginning, a college education is a fundamental stage of my pathway to success. I cannot change the world and impact lives if I don’t have the essential tools to do so. I plan to be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession through cutting-edge research in America and through a teaching and practice forum to support US-trained medical practitioners to rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams of academic success. I am unable to afford to attend the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success.

I am a college freshman who was given a second chance. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident in November 2021. This was the biggest challenge my family and I have faced. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. I was told that I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car, and I was lucky to be alive. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I was tested mentally, emotionally and physically, and tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been Liberia. To put it bluntly, I would be dead. With the critical lack of trained medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and therapists, their chances of surviving and thriving after an accident such as mine are slim to none. Before the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to working with athletes in Sports Optimization as a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love. but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited mobility, and being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even in a minute way. I plan to be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession through cutting-edge research in America and will begin to do my part to address the disparity in Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained medical practitioners rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic success.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I was given a second chance, one that many people involved in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. Day in and day out, I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. This was a trying time of both physical and emotional weakness. Waking up in a hospital bed unable to function on your own was not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia. Given the poor healthcare system, I ruminated on what would have happened if this accident had been in Liberia. Bluntly, I would be dead, just like so many others who have been injured and received poor medical care. With the critical lack of trained medical professionals, their chances of surviving and thriving after an accident such as mine are slim to none. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine as a profession, combining my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Growing up in Liberia, I understand the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host a fully sponsored inaugural basketball camp for underprivileged youth in 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia. A second camp is planned for December 2023. I believe my accident propelled a work ethic that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own battles, much like I did. It’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. My goal is to work in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and mentoring young people. I am unable to afford to attend the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car when we swerved to avoid a drunk driver. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it bluntly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in nursing. Nurses are the primary caregivers in most hospitals, and from firsthand experience, I understand the pivotal role they play in a patient’s care and recovery. My specialization as a sports medicine nurse combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Nurse, working in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for scholastic and athletic achievement. My accident as a result of a drunk driver was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the battle and perseveres.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “You are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car when we swerved to avoid a drunk driver. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for life. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it bluntly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in nursing. Nurses are the primary caregivers in most hospitals, and from firsthand experience, I understand the pivotal role they play in a patient’s care and recovery. My specialization as a sports medicine nurse combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Nurse, working in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for scholastic and athletic achievement. My accident as a result of a drunk driver was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the battle and perseveres.

I am a scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident. I have God and my exceptional doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians and other medical practitioners to thank. On November 26, 2021, I woke up in the Trauma One Unit of Oklahoma Medical Center to learn that, for five days a ventilator had been my lifeline after I was ejected from the back seat of a moving vehicle when our car swerved out of the way to avoid a drunk driver. I sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 Spinal Fracture, two broken ribs and severely bruised lungs. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach Ron to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but unsure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and I have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where they can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience of nine formative years living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization created to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. A second camp is planned for December 2023. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to change someone's life, even in a minute way. Maybe that means they want to train on their own or even help others in their endeavors as well-rounded athletes. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am humbled that a project inspired as a result of an auto accident inspired hope in my generation and my community In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for scholastic and athletic achievement. My accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the battle and perseveres.

Knowledge is power. This is a saying that resonates with all people of color. Whether you are African-American, African, Native-American, Latin-American and the like, it is a must that you equip yourself with the tools to thrive. This tool is a college education. I argue that this is the strongest competitive advantage that we have as a collective people to succeed. Yes, there are movie stars, musicians, professional sports players and others who have succeeded, but for every one NBA player, you have 1,000 African Americans who make a living more traditionally. This traditional way has been a long road for our people. During the years of slavery, it was illegal to teach slaves to read or write. We were at a distinct disadvantage post-emancipation. Many African Americans were illiterate and relegated to doing the same work they did as slaves. The rise in the socioeconomic status of African Americans can be attributed to a rise in the educational levels, particularly attributed to Black colleges and universities. This education not only gave us a voice but began to build a solid foundation for future generations. In my generation, the importance of a college education was cemented with the election of President Barack Obama. Here was an African-American, who had ascended to the highest office through dedication, tenacity, and yes, a solid college education. One of my favorite proverbs is from Western Africa. “When you educate a child, you educate a nation”. Education, and specifically a college education is the key that unlocks positive change in our lives and in our communities. In November of 2021, I was in what could have been a fatal accident; but received a second chance. This accident left me with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. The accident piqued my interest in Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I will work with athletes to help them recover from injury, prevent future injury and provide them with natural methods of enhancing their athletic performance. With my second chance, I was also determined to give back and established the “Byrd Basketball Foundation'', a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship and achievement in teens. I was proud to raise funds and host an inaugural basketball camp for kids in Liberia in the summer of 2022. That is just the beginning, a college education is a fundamental stage of my pathway to success. I cannot change the world and impact lives if I don’t have the essential tools to do so. College is a must for me. I am unable to afford to attend the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

I am a scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident. I have God and my exceptional doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians and other medical practitioners to thank. On November 26, 2021, I woke up in the Trauma One Unit of Oklahoma Medical Center to learn that, for five days a ventilator had been my lifeline after I was ejected from the back seat of a moving vehicle when our car swerved out of the way to avoid a drunk driver. I sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 Spinal Fracture, two broken ribs and severely bruised lungs. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. Before the accident I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but unsure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Nurse. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and I have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where they can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience of nine formative years living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization created to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to change someone's life, even in a minute way. Maybe that means they want to train on their own or even help others in their endeavors as well-rounded athletes. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that a project inspired as a result of an auto accident inspired hope in my generation and my community In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Nurse, working in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for scholastic and athletic achievement. My accident as a result of a drunk driver was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the battle and perseveres.

It all started in first grade. New country, new school, new life. My family had repatriated to Liberia, West Africa, the birthplace of my mother. I was fresh out of Montessori school in Atlanta and unprepared for the reality of a Liberian private school. I became friends with this kid named Timothy, the first person to tell me “ hi”. Tim and I were inseparable, he became my best friend. Although Timothy and I were best friends, we are very different. Simply said, I was far more privileged (from my old perspective) than Timothy. I lived in a bigger house, I had traveled the world, Tim had never left Liberia, I had a car and driver to take me to school, Tim came on public transportation, and I could go on and on. I wouldn’t know Tim was underprivileged until I visited his home. Even though he didn’t have as much as I did materially, he was still just as happy as I was. Every day Timothy taught me to be grateful for a blessing that went unnoticed. Like hot running water in the shower, 24-hour electricity, or even just air conditioning to relieve the intense West African heat. Being an only child, I did not have any siblings, only friends, Tim and I became brothers, when you saw Timothy, you saw me. In 2019 Timothy’s mother became very sick. Constantly being hospitalized for months at a time. She was unable to care for Tim. I asked my mom if my best friend and brother and his mom could come and live with us. She said yes, and Tim and his mom came to live with my family, who embraced him. My Mom became a caregiver to Tim’s Mom, Karen. I was amazed that my mother could show such love and care for someone she did not know very well. She did it because of her love for me and my friendship with Tim. I was so grateful. When his mom was well enough to live on her own, she moved away. But Tim stayed with us. My grandfather became his granddad. My aunts and uncles became his. Tim could’ve wallowed in self-pity, but he did not. He chose to remain hopeful and appreciative. When I should’ve been the one encouraging him, he was my source of inspiration. Tim coming from so little made me realize the superficial things I took for granted as a “privileged” kid. Tim’s quiet calm balances my exuberance. He has the uncanny ability with a simple statement to readjust my focus, typically from an insular lens to a more open-minded outlook. As we have grown into young adults, Tim’s humility, drive and calm spirit have been a source of strength and inspiration. Today he is in university in Kigali, Rwanda. He continues to tell me that I and my family give him a second chance when his own family would not help him or his mother. I am excited about what the future holds for both of us as we navigate college, work and life. I am thankful for a lifelong friend and brother, Timothy Andrews. My new perspective is that privilege and happiness are not about what you have but more about how much you appreciate your place in life. My friendship and bond with Tim made me realize that goodness comes from within and is not based on the material things you possess, or have access to. I am a better person because of him. So, while I know I helped a friend in need, he helped me as well.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. These are some of the core values that I, as a young man aspire to and have helped to shape me into the person I am today. According to the 2006 National Civic and Political Health Survey, seven percent of 15- to 25-year-old Americans participated in 10 or more community engagements within the previous year. When compared to their peers who report no civic engagement activities, this group was more likely to be African-American, urban, attend church regularly, from a family with parents who volunteer, a current student (in college or high school), and from a college-educated home. These findings encapsulate me. My church and my family have shaped me into the young man I am today. I am a scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident in November 2021, and with the help of an amazing team of medical professionals, I returned to full health and athletics. With my second chance, I chose to give back to my community through non-political civic engagement. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural camp for these kids in July 2022, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and empowerment initiatives. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. I also wanted to give back and empower my local community in Atlanta. I attend Victory Church in Norcross and volunteer with the Children’s Ministry. I employ my love for basketball and athletics as a coach for the little ones. I believe it is important to instill values in children starting at a young age and use my platform at church to do so. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of hardships and setbacks. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. I empower my core values of ethics, respect and perseverance, many of which I attribute to my upbringing in the church, in my work with my Foundation and with my church family.

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother boarded what would be the last international flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil ignited. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country, starting from scratch with barely any resources or support. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. In that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the socioeconomic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youth. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated out-of-state tuition of $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindrance to my success.

The ability to inspire others through your work ethic, courage, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Prior to the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to working with athletes in Sports Optimization as a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love. but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited mobility, being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on personal experience living in Liberia for nine years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I believe my disability was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my community service inspired hope in my generation and my community. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

It all started in first grade. New country, new school, new life. My family had repatriated to Liberia, West Africa, the birthplace of my mother. I was fresh out of Montessori school in Atlanta and unprepared for the reality of a Liberian private school. I became friends with this kid named Timothy, the first person to tell me “ hi”. Tim and I were inseparable, he became my best friend. Although Timothy and I were best friends, we are very different. Simply said, I was far more privileged (from my old perspective) than Timothy. I lived in a bigger house, I had traveled the world, Tim had never left Liberia, I had a car and driver to take me to school, Tim came on public transportation, and I could go on and on. I wouldn’t have known Tim was underprivileged until I visited his home. Even though he didn’t have as much as I did materially, he was still just as happy as I was. Every day Timothy taught me to be grateful for a blessing that went unnoticed. Like hot running water in the shower, 24-hour electricity, or even just air conditioning to relieve the intense West African heat. Being an only child, I did not have any siblings, only friends, Tim and I became brothers, when you saw Timothy, you saw me. In 2019 Timothy’s mother became very sick. Constantly being hospitalized for months at a time. She was unable to care for Tim. I asked my mom if my best friend and brother and his mom could come and live with us. She said yes, and Tim and his mom came to live with my family, who embraced him. My Mom became a caregiver to Tim’s Mom, Karen. I was amazed that my mother could show such love and care for someone she did not know very well. She did it because of her love for me and my friendship with Tim. I was so grateful. When his mom was well enough to live on her own, she moved away. But Tim stayed with us. My grandfather became his granddad. My aunts and uncles became his. Tim could’ve wallowed in self-pity, but he did not. He chose to remain hopeful and appreciative. When I should’ve been the one encouraging him, he was my source of inspiration. Tim coming from so little made me realize the superficial things I took for granted as a “privileged” kid. Tim’s quiet calm balances my exuberance. He has the uncanny ability with a simple statement to readjust my focus, typically from an insular lens to a more open-minded outlook. As we have grown into young adults, Tim’s humility, drive and calm spirit have been a source of strength and inspiration. Today he is attending a university in Kigali, Rwanda. He continues to tell me that I and my family gave him a second chance when his own family would not help him or his mother. I am excited about what the future holds for both of us as we navigate college, work and life. I am thankful for a lifelong friend and brother, Timothy Andrews. Privilege and happiness are not about what you have but more about how much you appreciate your place in life. My friendship and bond with Tim made me realize that goodness comes from within and is not based on material things. I am a better person because of him. So, while I know I helped a friend in need, he helped me as well.

The ability to inspire others through your work ethic, courage, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Before the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to working with athletes in Sports Optimization as a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love. but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited mobility, and being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on personal experience living in Liberia for nine years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I believe my disability was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my community service inspired hope in my generation and my community. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

The ability to inspire others through your work ethic, courage, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my therapists, doctors and nurses. Prior to the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to working with athletes in Sports Optimization as a Sports Medicine Doctor. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love. but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited mobility, being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on personal experience living in Liberia for nine years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I founded the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I believe my disability was a setback that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my community service inspired hope in my generation and my community. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained athletic and medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother and her family boarded, what would be the last international flight, out of Liberia, West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil war started. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country. They had to start from scratch with barely any resources. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. During that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and moved us to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the social economic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. It was so easy for me to become a spoiled, self-absorbed teenager. My mother did not allow that to happen. She worked hard each day for what we had and showed me the value of hard work and yes, sacrifice. There were times she struggled, but her grit and tenacity pushed through. These traits I learned from my mother. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. My mother was the driving force behind my success in this endeavor. She was my primary fundraiser and camp director, even taking time off work to make sure the camp succeeded. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

Collective, communality, unification. These are a few words that describe the word community. In the traditional sense, community refers to a unified body of individuals: people with common interests living in a particular area (Merrian Webster). Today, the vision of community is changing across the world. Globally the definition of community now includes people who may not have common interests living together. This dynamic of the very diverse peoples and cultures that make up today’s communities has both opportunities and challenges. Embracing diversity and inclusion can be a challenge, but also an opportunity. How we, as a collective community, commit to addressing these changes will either strengthen or break down our community structures. To build strong, healthy communities we must be cognizant of the shifting dynamics and develop ways to mitigate challenges and celebrate the wins. What does this mean? First, it means we must realize that our version of what makes a community is changing, and that change is okay. Yes, we lived together as one family, one connection, be it religion, culture, etc., in past years. However, with the globalization of the world, people from different religions, cultural backgrounds, countries, etc., find themselves living together. To build strong communities, we must respect this diversity, try to understand how we live with each and make deliberate efforts to be inclusive, supportive and impactful. I will use my personal experiences to illustrate one way I’ve worked to strengthen my community. I am proud to be both Liberian and American. My father is American and my mother’s birthplace is Liberia, West Africa. When they divorced, I lived with my mother in Liberia for 9 years, returning to the US in 2020 to complete high school. I am a scholar athlete and based on my experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. Through a fundraising campaign I initiated, which raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget which allows me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp became an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. We must understand where there is a need and strive, through our actions, big or small to improve that need. This is how we build strong, healthy communities. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. This is how I am an upstander.

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother and her family boarded, what would be the last international flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil war started. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. During that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the social economic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. It was so easy for me to become a spoiled, self-absorbed teenager. My mother did not allow that to happen. She worked hard each day for what we had and showed me the value of hard work and yes, sacrifice. There were times she struggled, but her grit and tenacity pushed through. These traits I learned from my mother. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. My mother was the driving force to my success at this endeavor. She was my primary fundraiser and camp director, even taking time off work to make sure the camp succeeded. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

It is not every day that one gets a second chance. I received mine after surviving what could have been a fatal car accident in 2021. With my second chance, I chose to give back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for nine years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. Planning and executing this camp was the most meaningful summer experience I’ve had to date. With a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the funds needed, there was no cost to campers! I am especially proud that I could raise all the funds and more so that money would not impede the kids’ participation. Through the help of a mentor, I engaged the office of NBA Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa for sponsorship. After exchanges with the leadership, my proposal was endorsed and accepted. NBA Africa signed on to the camp to provide resources and materials. Most notable, was what NBA Africa had to say about me; “…an impressive young man with a well thought out initiative and a worthwhile effort…” – Victor Williams, CEO, NBA Africa; ... “great to hear that he is giving back to the community…” – Mthoko Madonda, Social Responsibility & Player Programs Lead, NBA Africa and Former Player, South Africa National Basketball Team. I am also proud to say I did not stop there, I started a GoFundMe, which was generously supported by not only strangers but my family and friends. In Liberia, I engaged corporate donors who further endorsed our program and provided cash and in-kind support. A typical camp day started with breakfast, an “empowerment jam” session, followed by basketball drills, training sessions, and workouts. Campers took a break for lunch, participated in additional training sessions, and ended each day with a scrimmage. Empowerment jams were hosted by coaches and professionals who presented various topics: sportsmanship, the importance of education, basketball fundamentals, healthy living, and wellness. Each camper received a camp t-shirt, backpack, water bottle, shorts and a one-year membership to the YMCA. Many of the campers had never been to a sports facility, this was a new and exciting opportunity. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. I believe my accident propelled a work ethic that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own battles, much like I did. It’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune or setbacks

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother and her family boarded, what would be the last international flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, a 14-year civil war had started. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. In that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. My mother taught me the importance of appreciating what you have and not forgetting those who are less fortunate. Growing up in a place such as Liberia, where the social economic strata are so divergent, you can forget that more than 60 percent of the country lives on less than $1 per day. It was so easy for me to become a spoiled, self-absorbed teenager. My mother did not allow that to happen. She worked hard each day for what we had and showed me the value in hard work and yes, sacrifice. There were times she struggled, but her grit and tenacity pushed through. These traits I learned from my mother. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in a Least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I was given a second chance at life when I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 5.54 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. Liberia also needs to respond to the needs of the youth. With my second chance, I learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. My mother was the driving force behind my success in this endeavor. She was my primary fundraiser and camp director, even taking time off work to make sure the camp succeeded. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

I am a hardworking and personable scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. My accident was the biggest failure of my life, as it caused me to be unable to continue to play basketball, the sport I love most. Prior to the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field with a focus on community support, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to working with athletes in Sports Optimization with a minor in community development. These disciplines combine my love for athletics with health, wellness and community service. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited functionality, being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in July 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds allowed me to expand the program and host empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who are unable to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a failure that set forth my quest to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. In 10 years, I will be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia, advancing the profession in the US through cutting-edge research and also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained medical professionals rotationally work and train medical practitioners in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement while continuing to support community-driven development initiatives.

I am a hardworking and personable student who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners; doctors, nurses, and therapists at Oklahoma Medical Center, a leading research and teaching hospital. Before the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Nurse. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited functionality, being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. In my professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician, I plan to work both in the US and Liberia and buttress Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained nurses and doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend my college of choice, the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

I am a hardworking and personable student who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners; doctors, nurses, and therapists at Oklahoma Medical Center, a leading research and teaching hospital. Before the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited functionality, being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their obstacles, much like I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. In my professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician, I plan to work both in the US and Liberia and buttress Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend my college of choice, the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. These are some of the core values that I, as a young man aspire to and have helped to shape me into the person I am today. According to the 2006 National Civic and Political Health Survey, seven percent of 15- to 25-year-old Americans participated in 10 or more community engagement or political activities within the previous year. When compared to their peers who report no civic engagement activities, this group was more likely to be African-American, urban, attend church regularly, from a family with parents who volunteer, a current student (in college or high school), and from a college-educated home. These findings encapsulate me. I am a scholar-athlete who was given a second chance at life. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident in November 2021, and with the help of an amazing team of medical professionals, I returned to full health and athletics. With my second chance, I chose to give back to my community through non-political civic engagement. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural camp for these kids in July 2022, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and empowerment initiatives. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation” with two primary goals in mind: 1. To bring a quality training program to kids that provides a blend of high-quality basketball training with personal development including general health and wellness. 2. To provide a train-the-trainer program where my annual project is just the beginning of a holistic program initiative. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. I empower my core values of ethics, respect and perseverance in my work with my Foundation. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community.

I am a hardworking and personable student who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners; doctors, nurses, and therapists at Oklahoma Medical Center, a leading research and teaching hospital. Prior to the accident, I made a decision to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not really sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights to their recovery experience because I’ve experienced the effects of limited functionality, being unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. In my professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician, I plan to work both in the US and Liberia and buttress Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I am unable to afford to attend my college of choice, the College of Charleston, without financial aid. My parents do not have the funds to pay the estimated $40,000 I will need exclusive of the merit and need-based scholarships I’ve currently been awarded. They also do not want me to amass a large financial burden as a result of student loans. I know I have the drive and determination to thrive, and I am putting in hours of work applying for scholarships so that money won’t be a hindering factor to my success. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, perseverance, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. These are some of the core values that I, as a young man aspire to and have helped to shape me into the person I am today. According to the 2006 National Civic and Political Health Survey, seven percent of 15- to 25-year-old Americans participated in 10 or more community engagement or political activities within the previous year. When compared to their peers who report no civic engagement activities, this group was more likely to be African-American, urban, attend church regularly, from a family with parents who volunteer, a current student (in college or high school), and from college-educated home. Thes findings encapsulate me. I am a scholar athlete who was given a second chance at life. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident in November 2021, and with the help of an amazing team of medical professionals I returned to full health and athletics. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. The core values I affirm, including my courage, determination and tenacity helped me on what has been the most difficult journey of my life. With my second chance, I chose to give back to my community through non-political civic engagement. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural camp for these kids in July 2022, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and empowerment initiatives. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation” with two primary goals in mind: 1. To bring a quality training program to kids that provides a blend of high-quality basketball training with personal development including general health and wellness. 2. To provide a train-the-trainer program where my annual project is just the beginning of a holistic program initiative. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. I empower my core values of ethics, respect and perseverance in my work with my Foundation. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community.

I am Adem Byrdsell, a high school senior scholar athlete and the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young people. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged teens, who like myself, love the basketball, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience growing up in Liberia, West Africa, where I lived for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented youth who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel. The camp was initially planned for December 2021 in Liberia. However, on November 21, 2021 everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and in the ICU, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I was given a second chance at life. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia with its deplorable healthcare system and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. Bluntly speaking, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in Kinesiology, as a pathway to sports medicine. Becoming a sports medicine physician combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. Today I am on my way to a full recovery by the Grace of God, and the help of an amazing team of doctors, nurses, and therapists. I am running track and playing basketball at full intensity. This experience made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged kids that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build a program combining healthy living and sports. I was proud to host the camp last summer. With a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. My accident was a challenge that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and life's challenges.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of adversity makes a great leader. On November 21, 2021, everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile, presumably, for the first time in several days, as they hear their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You’re lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I am grateful to be alive. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My accident taught me to value life and to use my second chance to make a difference in this world. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, a profession that combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back and have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. Through a fundraising campaign I initiated, which raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget which allows me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. I believe my accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes their own obstacles, much like I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune. In my professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician, I plan to work both in the US and Liberia, and buttress Liberia’s healthcare system through a teaching and practice forum where US trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

I am a scholar athlete who was given a second chance at life. In my junior year, I survived what could have been a fatal car accident in November 2021, and with the help of an amazing team of medical professionals I returned to full health and athletics. With my second chance, I chose to give back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for nine formative years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural camp for these kids in July 2022, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, there was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and empowerment initiatives. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation” with two primary goals in mind: 1. To bring a quality training program to kids that provides a blend of high-quality basketball training with personal development including general health and wellness. 2. To provide a train the trainer program where my annual project is just the beginning of a holistic program initiative. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if in a minute way. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. This experience quickly opened my eyes and encouraged research that brought about a 3rd personal goal. According to The World Health Organization (WHO) a 1:1,000 doctor to patient ratio is recommended for adequate healthcare, yet according to a 2016 report by the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, the country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 4.5 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000. This is not acceptable. In 10 years, I plan to be a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession and address this disparity by buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia.

Money matters. Yet, I concur with Robin S. Baker, who quoted: “I'm looking at the bigger picture. longevity and legacy.” Investopedia defines generational wealth as financial assets passed from one generation of a family to another. This definition is essentially the same across multiple platforms and includes the acquisition of cash, investments, stocks, jewelry, etc. However, as a young African-American man, my definition of generational wealth is broader than the financial aspect. When I reflect on generational wealth, I think about resources in addition to cash, bonds, and investments. I think about tangibles and intangibles that can be transferred from one generation to another. Wealth can encompass many things. In addition to those we readily refer to, generational wealth for me means legacy. Transferring a legacy from one generation to the next. It includes the intellectual property, education, respect, tradition and values that my grandfather instilled in me as a child. This transfer also includes conveying the sense of responsibility to not only care for what has been left to you but nurture, preserve and grow it for generations that will come after you. I plan to achieve generational wealth by first equipping myself with the tools necessary to succeed financially, spiritually, morally and in good health. I will expound on each one. Financial success means giving myself the best chance to succeed by pursuing higher education and arming myself with the skill sets by earning a degree and pursuing a career path. To pass down wealth you must first have some yourself. Building my own net worth is a major first step. Having a strong education is essential to this first step. Spiritual and moral wealth are also key ingredients to generational wealth. The transition of knowledge and respect for culture and tradition enables one to honor the past, respect the present and plan for the future. I plan to major in Kinesiology, as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. Good health is wealth. If I am healthy, I have a better chance of pursuing the other goals that strengthen the other facets of generational wealth. As a physician, I will also work to ensure that my family remains healthy, thereby, allowing us all to acquire generational wealth, in all its forms, that will sustain future generations to come. While historical and ongoing barriers to economic opportunity have made it challenging for African-Americans to create generational wealth, there are still ways to overcome these obstacles and build wealth for future generations. I will not be a victim; I will invest time, money, energy and intention to create both financial and non-financial assets to create a more well-rounded and sustainable approach to building generational wealth for my family.

It is not every day that one gets a second chance at life. With my second chance, I have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget which allows me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. I am especially proud that I could raise all the funds and more, so that money would not be an impediment to the kids’ participation. Through the help of a mentor, I was introduced to the NBA Africa. Following his recommendation and introduction I personally engaged the office of NBA Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa for their participation and to support the basketball camp. After exchanges with the staff and leadership, my proposal was endorsed and accepted. NBA Africa signed on to the camp to provide resources and materials. Most notable, was what the NBA Africa had to say about me; “…an impressive young man with a well thought out initiative and a worthwhile effort…” – Victor Williams, CEO, NBA Africa; ... “great to hear that he is giving back to the community…” – Mthoko Madonda, Social Responsibility & Player Programs Lead, NBA Africa and Former Player, South Africa National Basketball Team. I am humbled. I am also proud to say I did not stop there, I started a GoFundMe, which was generously supported by not only strangers, but my family and friends around the world. Following my return to Liberia, I engaged corporate donors who further endorsed our program and provided cash and in-kind support. I was truly overwhelmed by the level of support and good will I received. This made me even more determined that this program would not only succeed but expand. There was a true need and there were organizations and individuals who were ready and able to help. Many were simply waiting for someone to take the initiative. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. This makes me unique.

It is not every day that one gets a second chance at life. With my second chance, I have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget which allows me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. I am especially proud that I could raise all the funds and more, so that money would not be an impediment to the kids’ participation. Through the help of a mentor, I was introduced to the NBA Africa. Following his recommendation and introduction I personally engaged the office of NBA Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa for their participation and to support the basketball camp. After exchanges with the staff and leadership, my proposal was endorsed and accepted. NBA Africa signed on to the camp to provide resources and materials. Most notable, was what the NBA Africa had to say about me; “…an impressive young man with a well thought out initiative and a worthwhile effort…” – Victor Williams, CEO, NBA Africa; ... “great to hear that he is giving back to the community…” – Mthoko Madonda, Social Responsibility & Player Programs Lead, NBA Africa and Former Player, South Africa National Basketball Team. I am humbled. I am also proud to say I did not stop there, I started a GoFundMe, which was generously supported by not only strangers, but my family and friends around the world. Following my return to Liberia, I engaged corporate donors who further endorsed our program and provided cash and in-kind support. I was truly overwhelmed by the level of support and good will I received. This made me even more determined that this program would not only succeed but expand. There was a true need and there were organizations and individuals who were ready and able to help. Many were simply waiting for someone to take the initiative. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. This was my impact.

It is not every day that one gets a second chance at life. With my second chance, I have recommitted to investing my skills and talents where I feel they are sorely needed and can make the biggest impact. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 9 formative years I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in youths. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! Donations exceeded our budget which allows me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. I am especially proud that I could raise all the funds and more, so that money would not be an impediment to the kids’ participation. Through the help of a mentor, I was introduced to the NBA Africa. Following his recommendation and introduction I personally engaged the office of NBA Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa for their participation and to support the basketball camp. After exchanges with the staff and leadership, my proposal was endorsed and accepted. NBA Africa signed on to the camp to provide resources and materials. Most notable, was what the NBA Africa had to say about me; “…an impressive young man with a well thought out initiative and a worthwhile effort…” – Victor Williams, CEO, NBA Africa; ... “great to hear that he is giving back to the community…” – Mthoko Madonda, Social Responsibility & Player Programs Lead, NBA Africa and Former Player, South Africa National Basketball Team. I am humbled. I am also proud to say I did not stop there, I started a GoFundMe, which was generously supported by not only strangers, but my family and friends around the world. Following my return to Liberia, I engaged corporate donors who further endorsed our program and provided cash and in-kind support. I was truly overwhelmed by the level of support and good will I received. This made me even more determined that this program would not only succeed but expand. There was a true need and there were organizations and individuals who were ready and able to help. Many were simply waiting for someone to take the initiative. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may have not had the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I want to be able to change someone's life, even if it is in a little way. One camper had dropped out of school and was on the verge of suicide due to the death of his brother and best friend. In his words, “Coming to this camp, saved my life. I had given up on life, and being here has given me hope. I’ve found brothers and lifelong friends”. He shared this in an impassioned speech upon receiving the MVP trophy at the end of the camp. What started as a routine camp turned into an opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so humbled that my project has inspired hope in my generation and my community. This was my impact.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. On November 21, 2021, everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile, presumably, for the first time in several days, as they hear their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You’re lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I am grateful to be alive. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My accident taught me to value life and to use my second chance to make a difference in this world. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others who receive poor medical care due to the country’s egregious healthcare system. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, a profession that combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, incapable of playing the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign I initiated and there was no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. My professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician and my philanthropic work through my foundation will allow me to continue to make a positive impact and support my community while continuing to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I plan to work both in the US and Liberia, advancing the profession through work in the US and also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia.

Friday, June 1, 1990, my mother and her family boarded, what would be the last flight, out of the international airport in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. The airport was bombed two days later, and a 14-year civil war started. My mother and her family had to rebuild their lives in a foreign country. No one expected to not return home. They left Liberia for what many assumed was a 1-month vacation, while the scrimmage ended. It took my mother 16 years to return to Liberia. During that time, life happened. She went to college, met my father, got married and had me. In April 2011, now a divorcee, she packed me up and bought our one-way tickets back to Liberia. The nine years I spent growing up in Monrovia will forever leave an impact on my life. Those years shaped me into the young man I am today, a global citizen of the world who is not afraid to embrace culture and respect diversity. During those years I also experienced what it truly means to live in the least Developed Country (LDC) with all of its challenges, especially in the medical field. I survived a car accident in the US that would have been fatal had I been in Liberia. The country has just 298 medical doctors to care for Liberia’s 4.5 million population, a doctor/patient ratio of 1:15,000 (WHO report). Liberia needs doctors. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician, working both in the USA and Liberia. I hope to advance the profession through work in America and I will begin to do my part to address this disparity by also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia.

I am a scholar-athlete who has been blessed. I survived what could have been a fatal car accident, and after 17 days of being hospitalized in an ICU, followed by intensive rehabilitation, I walked out without medication. I have God and my exceptional doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians and other medical practitioners to thank. I was given a second chance. On November 26, 2021, I woke up in the Trauma One Unit of Oklahoma Medical Center to learn that, for five days a ventilator had been my lifeline after I was ejected from the back seat of a moving vehicle. I sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 Spinal Fracture, two broken ribs and severely bruised lungs. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call Coach Ron to tell him I’ll be late for basketball practice”. Before the accident, I decided to explore working with athletes in the medical field, but not sure of what I wanted to pursue. Now, I am confident I understand my career path. I plan to major in Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This discipline combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, incapable of playing the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience of nine formative years living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully sponsored through a fundraising campaign I initiated, at no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program. I aim to be the change I want to see in young athletes who may not have the chance to harness their athletic abilities because of financial hardships. I hope my story and life experience can inspire others to give back. As an African-American male, born in Atlanta, Ga, and raised in Liberia, West Africa, the birthplace of my mother, I understand and appreciate diversity and culture. As a Sports Medicine doctor, I will promote the inclusion of young people and use my platform to mentor those under-represented in the profession. In addition, through my philanthropic work with my foundation, I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. I plan to work both in the US and Liberia, advancing the profession through work in the US and also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US-trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. On November 21, 2021, everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile, presumably, for the first time in several days, as they hear their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You’re lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I am grateful to be alive. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My accident taught me to value life and to use my second chance to make a difference in this world. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others receive poor medical care due to the country’s egregious healthcare system. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, a profession that combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, incapable of playing the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign I initiated and there was no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. My professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician and my social services work through my foundation will allow me to continue to make a positive impact and support my community. I plan to work both in the US and Liberia, advancing the profession through by work in the US and also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. On November 21, 2021, everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile, presumably, for the first time in several days, as they hear their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You’re lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I am grateful to be alive. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My accident taught me to value life and to use my second chance to make a difference in this world. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others receive poor medical care due to the country’s egregious healthcare system. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, a profession that combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, incapable of playing the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign I initiated and there was no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. My professional career as a Sports Medicine Physician and my philanthropic work through my foundation will allow me to continue to make a positive impact in the world and support my community. I plan to work both in the US and Liberia, advancing the profession through by work in the US and also buttressing Liberia’s healthcare system, through a teaching and practice forum where US trained doctors rotationally work in Liberia. Through my foundation I will continue to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievement. These are accomplishments that I will be proud to achieve in the next 30 years.

It all started in first grade. New country, new school, new life. My family had repatriated to Liberia, West Africa, the birthplace of my mother. I was fresh out of Montessori school in Atlanta and unprepared for the reality of a Liberian private school. I became friends with this kid named Timothy, the first person to tell me “ hi”. Tim and I were inseparable, he became my best friend. Although Timothy and I were best friends, we are very different. Simply said, I was far more privileged (from my old perspective) than Timothy. I lived in a bigger house, I had traveled the world, Tim had never left Liberia, I had a car and driver to take me to school, Tim came on public transportation, and I could go on and on. I wouldn’t know Tim was underprivileged until I visited his home. Even though he didn’t have as much as I did materially, he was still just as happy as I was. Every day Timothy taught me to be grateful for a blessing that went unnoticed. Like hot running water in the shower, 24-hour electricity, or even just air conditioning to relieve the intense West African heat. Being an only child I did not have any siblings, only friends, Tim and I became brothers, when you saw Timothy you saw me. In 2019 Timothy’s mother became very sick. Constantly being hospitalized for months at a time. She was unable to care for Tim. I asked my mom if my best friend and brother could come and live with us. She said yes, and Tim came to live with my family, who embraced him. My grandfather became his granddad. My aunts and uncles became his. Tim could’ve wallowed in self-pity, but he did not. He chose to remain hopeful and appreciative. When I should’ve been the one encouraging him, he was my source of inspiration. Tim coming from so little made me realize the superficial things I took for granted as a “privileged” kid. Tim’s quiet calm balances my exuberance. He has the uncanny ability with a simple statement to readjust my focus, typically from an insular lens to a more open-minded outlook. As we have grown into young adults, Tim’s humility, drive and calm spirit have been a source of strength and inspiration. Today he is preparing to enroll in a university in Kigali, Rwanda. He continues to tell me that I and my family give him a second chance when his own family would not help him or his mother. I am excited about what the future holds for both of us as we navigate college, work and life. I am thankful for a lifelong friend and brother, Timothy Andrews. My new perspective is that privilege and happiness are not about what you have but more about how much you appreciate your place in life and that eagerness to grow from a place of appreciation is a much happier path than feeling the need to grow from a feeling of lack. My friendship and bond with Tim made me realize that goodness comes from within and is not based on the material things you possess, or have access to. I am a better person because of him. So, while I know I helped a friend in need, he helped me as well.

The ability to inspire others through your courage, ethics, respect, empathy and determination even in the wake of obstacles or setbacks makes a great leader. On November 21, 2021, everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. “Text Coach Ron and tell him I’ll be late to practice.” I see my parents smile, presumably, for the first time in several days, as they hear their son speak as if nothing is wrong. I was then told, “You’re lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I am grateful to be alive. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My accident taught me to value life and to use my second chance to make a difference in this world. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Being unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, a profession that combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love, but equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide meaningful insights into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, incapable of playing the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia, I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens who love sports, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign I initiated and there was no cost to the campers. Excess funds were realized, which allowed me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. My accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

I am proud to be both Liberian and American. My father is from the US and my mother is from Liberia. When they divorced, I lived with my mother in Liberia for 9 years, returning to the US in 2020 to complete high school. Salaries in Liberia are not comparable to the US, so while my mother is a college educated urban planner, her salary was barely sufficient to make ends meet and we are a working class family. Similarly, my father is an IT engineer and with the high cost of living in Atlanta, we are also considered working class. My parents pool their resources to make sure I am successful and with a need based scholarships, I am able to attend a private Catholic high school. With the rising costs of college today, my family is unable to afford college without significant loans and or financial assistance. I want to reduce the financial burden on them and am seeking merit and need based scholarships to assist with my tuition expenses. I strive to be a leader and an academic scholar as evidenced by my work in the community and my academic achievements. Growing up in Liberia gave me a new perspective on I founded the Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys. I am also a high school senior who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign; donations exceeded our budget which will now allow me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. I plan to major in Kinesiology, as a pathway to Sports Medicine, which combines my love for athletics with my passion for health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. As a Sports Medicine Doctor I want to work both in Liberia and the US, promoting sustainable medical practices and mentoring young men to be the best citizens they can be in a global world.

I am a hardworking and personable senior who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners; doctors, nurses, and therapists. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, by the Grace of God. I am on the track team and competed in Georgia Regionals in April 2022. I am proud to have lettered in the Triple Jump category. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. During the ordeal of my recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine as a professional career choice. Sports medicine combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, and provide them with natural methods of enhancing performance in their sport but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but I want to equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and be unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also chose to give back. Based on personal experience living in Liberia for 9 years, I know the impact of having limited access to sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign I initiated with the help of my friends and family. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and because we raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! My professional education as a Sports Medicine Physician and my philanthropic work through my foundation will allow me to continue to make positive change and support my community through a program to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievements.

I am a hardworking and personable senior who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners; doctors, nurses, and therapists. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, by the Grace of God. I participated in varsity track and field in 2022, where I competed in Georgia Regionals in April 2022. I am proud to have lettered in the Triple Jump category. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. During the ordeal of my recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine as a professional career choice. Sports medicine combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I don’t just want to return them to the sport they love but I want to equip them with natural methods of enhancing their performance even more, and ideally, with a re-invigorated passion for what they do. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and be unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also chose to give back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia for 10 years, I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign I initiated with the help of my friends and family. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and because we raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! My professional education as a Sports Medicine Physician and my philanthropic work through my foundation will allow me, in the future, to continue to make positive change and support my community through a program to mentor young people and support their dreams for academic and scholastic achievements.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young boys. I am also a high school senior who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented kids who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The camp was initially planned for December 2021 in Liberia. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am running track and playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! We made a call for donations through a GoFundMe campaign and corporate sponsorships. The commitment of individuals and organizations allowed us to carry out our mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. Without this assistance, we would be unable to accomplish the plans to support this camp. It is my goal to work both in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and supporting and mentoring young people. I believe my accident propelled a work ethic that set forth my desire to be the reason someone overcomes their battles, much as I did. It’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and adversity.

I am humbled to be the founder of a non-profit organization, Byrd Basketball Foundation. My organization allows me to combine my love for sports with my quest to change the narrative of young people. Hosting the Foundation’s inaugural event, a week-long basketball camp was a joyful and proud time for me. The initial reason for the camp was based on my personal experience living in Liberia and understanding the limitations to sports development, however, I was given a second chance at life after surviving a near-fatal car accident in 2021. With my second chance, I chose to give back to my community, and I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living, youth empowerment and athletics. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd at the LTC Mobile Basketball Complex in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone, at no cost to the campers. A typical day started with breakfast, an “empowerment jam” session, followed by basketball drills, training stations and workouts. Campers took a break for a full lunch and ended each day with a scrimmage. A transportation stipend was also made available to campers. Empowerment jams were hosted by coaches and professionals who spoke on various topics including, sportsmanship, the importance of education, basketball fundamentals and healthy living/wellness. Campers also toured the Invincible Sports Park, a new athletic facility, and had to opportunity to watch a high school game at the local YMCA. Each camper received a camp t-shirt, backpack, water bottle, shorts and a one-year membership to the YMCA, which will allow them access to the gym, to continue learning the game of basketball, as well as other facilities, including the computer lab. None of the campers had previously had a YMCA membership, which cost only $10/per year. The little things I took for granted were so appreciated by the campers, and I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce these kids to a world outside of their small circle and watch them expand their focus. We made a call for donations through a GoFundMe campaign and corporate sponsorships and received 44 donations! The fundraising efforts surpassed our budget and now there’s seed funding for next year’s camp. The commitment of a community of individuals and organizations allowed us to carry out our mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks. It is my goal to work as a Sports Medicine Physician, advancing the profession and supporting and mentoring young people.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my cousin, Aidan. On my first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and being unable to function on your own, was not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. Not being capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and a fractured sternum. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. On my first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and being unable to function on your own is not an easy obstacle to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Kinesiology, as a pathway to sports medicine. My specialization as a sports medicine physician combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know how challenging it is to have limited functionality and be unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia and understanding the impact of having limited access to sports development, I decided to help underprivileged Athletic teens in Liberia who do not have the resources to truly excel. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for teens in July 2022. The camp was fully funded through a fundraising campaign. My illness was an obstacle that unleashed my aspiration to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. There is always opportunity in misfortune and challenges.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and a fractured sternum. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. On my first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and being unable to function on your own is not an easy obstacle to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Kinesiology, as a pathway to sports medicine. My specialization as a sports medicine physician combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know how challenging it is to have limited functionality and be unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia and understanding the impact of having limited access to sports development, I decided to help underprivileged Athletic teens in Liberia who do not have the resources to truly excel. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for teens in July 2022. The camp was fully funded through a fundraising campaign. My illness was an obstacle that unleashed my aspiration to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. There is always opportunity in misfortune and challenges. It is my goal to work both in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and supporting and mentoring young people.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and a fractured sternum. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. On my first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and being unable to function on your own is not an easy obstacle to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Kinesiology, as a pathway to sports medicine. My specialization as a sports medicine physician combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know how challenging it is to have limited functionality and be unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia and understanding the impact of having limited access to sports development, I decided to help underprivileged Athletic teens in Liberia who do not have the resources to truly excel. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for teens in July 2022. The camp was fully funded through a fundraising campaign. My illness was an obstacle that unleashed my aspiration to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. There is always opportunity in misfortune and challenges.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told, “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and a fractured sternum. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. On my first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and being unable to function on your own is not an easy obstacle to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war-torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia. To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing a major in Kinesiology, as a pathway to sports medicine. My specialization as a sports medicine physician combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight into their recovery experience because I know how challenging it is to have limited functionality and be unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia and understanding the impact of having limited access to sports development, I decided to help underprivileged Athletic teens in Liberia who do not have the resources to truly excel. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. I was very proud to host an inaugural basketball camp for teens in July 2022. The camp was fully funded through a fundraising campaign. My illness was an obstacle that unleashed my aspiration to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. There is always opportunity in misfortune and challenges. The Voila Natural Lifestyle Scholarship will help fund my college education and allow me to continue to give back and share my love for physical and mental wellness. It is my goal to work both in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and supporting and mentoring young people.

I am a hardworking and personable student who was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, a fractured sternum and two rib fractures, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners; doctors, nurses, and therapists. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a sports medicine doctor. This profession combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance I chose to give back. Living in Liberia, West Africa, for 10 years, and cognizant of the limited access to comprehensive sports development, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but don’t have the resources to fully develop their skills. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation'', a non-profit whose mission is to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in teens. This summer I was proud to host the Foundation's inaugural basketball camp in Liberia. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign; donations exceeded our budget which will now allow me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment and health and wellness activities. The Andrea M Taylor Future Doctors Scholarship will help fund my college education and allow me to continue to give back and share my love for physical and mental wellness. I have been accepted into Morehouse College and plan to enroll in the Fall of 2023. It is my goal to work both in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and supporting and mentoring young people. From an early age, reading has been a hobby of mine. A few books that have inspired my journey include: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (William Kamkwamba) Pulse of PerserveranceL Three Doctors on Their Journey to Success (Joseph Semien, Maxime Madhere and Pierre Johnson I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin) Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) Breaking Ground: My Life in Medicine (Louis W. Sullivan) These books are some of the few that have shaped me into the young man I am today in very different ways. Some through inspiration to pursue my vocation, others as I grappled with my identity as a young black man in America and others as I harmonized by dual heritage as an African (Liberian) and an African American, striving to understand my place in this global world.

I am Adem Byrdsell, the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization, with a mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young people. I am a rising high school senior who loves basketball. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. The camp was initially planned for December 2021 in Liberia. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as severe as mine were not fortunate to receive. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am running track and playing basketball at full intensity. This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and tell underprivileged boys, who love the game, that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did. With my second chance, I also learned the importance of giving back. I was determined to not only host the first camp but build it into a program combining healthy living and sports. The camp was held from June 27-July 2nd, in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially planned for twelve campers, we expanded to 24 campers daily, and with a fundraising campaign that raised more than 100% of the cost, we accommodated everyone. There was no cost to campers! A typical day started with breakfast, an “empowerment jam” session, followed by basketball drills, training stations and workouts. Campers took a break for a full Liberian lunch and ended each day with a scrimmage. A transportation stipend was paid to campers. Empowerment jams were hosted by coaches and professionals who spoke on various topics including, sportsmanship, the importance of education, basketball fundamentals and healthy living/wellness. Each camper received a camp t-shirt, backpack, water bottle, shorts and a one-year membership to the YMCA, which will allow them access to the gym, to continue learning the game of basketball, as well as other facilities, including the computer lab. We made a call for donations through a GoFundMe campaign and corporate sponsorships. The camp was budgeted at $5,000 USD and raised $7, 349 USD, with the support of 44 donations! The commitment of individuals and organizations allowed us to carry out our mission to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. Without this assistance, we would be unable to accomplish the plans to support this camp. It is my goal to work both in the US and Liberia as a Sports Medicine Doctor, advancing the profession and supporting and mentoring young people. I have been accepted into Morehouse College and will enroll in Fall 2023, majoring in Kinesiology.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

I was given a second chance at life after surviving a severe car accident in November 2021. Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and a fractured sternum, for the first five days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners. I learned the importance of mental and physical wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of Kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a sports medicine physician, combining my love for athletics with my passion for health and wellness.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of nursing. Nurses are the primary care givers in most hospitals, and from firsthand experience, I understand the pivotal role they play in a patient’s care and recovery. My specialization as a sports medicine nurse combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

I am proud to be both Liberian and American. My father is from the US and my mother is from Liberia. When they divorced I lived with my mother in Liberia for 9 years, returning to the US in 2020 to complete high school. Salaries in Liberia are not comparable to the US, so while my mother is a college educated urban planner, her salary was barely sufficient to make ends meet and we are a working class family. Similarly, my father is an IT engineer and with the high cost of living in Atlanta, we are also considered working class. My parents pool their resources to make sure I am successful and with a need based scholarships, I am able to attend a private Catholic high school. With the rising costs of college today, my family is unable to afford college without significant loans and or financial assistance. I want to reduce the financial burden on them and am seeking merit and need based scholarships to assist with my tuition expenses. I strive to be a leader and an academic scholar as evidenced by my work in the community and my academic achievements. It is my hope that the combination of these attributes will assist me as I seek scholarships to alleviate the need to apply for student loans and /or to pay for loans that I may have to acquire in pursuit of higher education. I am thankful for the opportunity to seek assistance provided by your organization.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limitation, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system. My accident taught me to not take life for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. As a Sport Medicine doctor I plan to work in US and Liberia saving lives and mentoring young men. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune and setbacks.

Everything went black. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. Intubated, and unable to get out of the hospital bed and walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I pondered on how I was still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me so grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. My first night, we hung out with his friends and had an amazing time. We decided to take two of his friends home, hours before the car accident happened. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and unable to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country with a deplorable healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I experienced what it felt like to be completely dependent. To not be capable of doing simple tasks on my own such as showering, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom unaided, gave me a new perspective on life. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing the major of kinesiology as a pathway to sports medicine, which combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery, but also to help prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide some meaningful insight to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality and to not be able to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. Understanding the lasting implications of this limited access, I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign. My illness was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune.

I was tested mentally and physically on November 21, 2021, when my life nearly went to shambles. I remember going to Oklahoma to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and especially how excited I was to see my favorite cousin, Aidan. I woke up six days later on a ventilator. With big blue sleeves around my shins, intubated, and unable to walk, I was completely confused and perplexed, wondering what happened. I was then told “you are lucky to be alive.” I was ejected from the back seat through the front windshield of a moving car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, fractured sternum, and two rib fractures. I ponder on how I am still breathing. Surviving my accident continues to make me much more grateful for the life I am living. I was given a second chance, a chance that many people who have been in accidents as lethal as mine were not fortunate to receive. My road to recovery tested me day in and day out. I tried to stay positive, not just for my parents, but also for myself. Waking up in a hospital bed and not being able to function on your own is not an easy predicament to overcome. During my days in the ICU, through the ordeal of recovery and rehab, I often reflected on growing up in Liberia, a war torn country that does not have a good healthcare system, and would ruminate on what would have happened to me if this accident had been in Liberia? To put it blatantly, I would be dead, just like many others in Liberia who have been injured and received poor medical care due to the egregious healthcare system in Liberia. With the critical lack of trained medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and therapists, their chances of surviving and thriving after an accident such as mine are slim to none. My accident taught me to not take the life I am living for granted, a life that can end in the blink of an eye. I learned the importance of mental, physical, and emotional wellness, which piqued my interest in pursuing Kinesiology, as a pathway to sports medicine as a professional career choice. Sports medicine combines my love for athletics with health and wellness. I want to work with athletes not only to help them through recovery but also to prevent future injuries. I believe I can provide meaningful insights to their recovery experience because I know what it feels like to have limited functionality, unable to play the sport you love. With my second chance I also learned the importance of giving back. Based on my personal experience living in Liberia I know the impact of having limited access to thorough sports development. I decided to help underprivileged teens in Liberia who play basketball, but do not have the funds to pay for a trainer. I created the “Byrd Basketball Foundation”, a non-profit organization to promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and achievement in young Liberian boys. I was very proud to host an inaugural week-long basketball camp for these kids in the summer of 2022. The camp was fully paid for through a fundraising campaign; donations exceeded our budget which will now allow me to continue to expand the program and host additional camps and other empowerment initiatives. My accident was a setback that set forth my burning desire to be the reason someone overcomes the same battle as I did. I believe it’s critical to know that there is always opportunity in misfortune.

I am a rising high school senior who loves basketball. I am also an athlete who was injured and fully recovered, against the odds, with the help of an exceptional team of medical professionals. I am also a community organizer, and the founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit organization. I conceived this Foundation to help underprivileged boys, who like myself, love the game, but don’t have access to the trainers and equipment to fully develop their skills. From personal experience living in Liberia for 10 years, I’ve met and played with many talented boys who simply don’t have the opportunities to truly excel in this sport. I'd planned to host first camp during the Christmas Holiday, December 2021 in Liberia. On November 21, 2021, I was in a bad car accident, and hospitalized for 17 days, the first 6 in ICU. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, C5 spinal fracture, severely bruised lungs, and two rib fractures. For the first 5 days, a ventilator was my lifeline as my body fought to heal itself with the help of an amazing team of medical practitioners, including my doctors, nurses, and therapists. Today I am on my way to a full recovery, only by the Grace of God. I am running track and playing basketball at full intensity. My C5 spinal fracture is healed (after 6 weeks in a neck brace). This experience has made me more determined to not only elevate my game, but also share my story and foster positive change by helping young,, underprivileged boys, who love the game, to know that they can overcome any obstacle with hope, faith, and a healthy body, some of the traits that helped me to heal as miraculously as I did.

Money management is critical to financial freedom. As a young man, I've come to realize that if you are not careful with how you spend money, you will not see the fruits of your labor. It is hard to sometimes be responsible when you take for granted that your parents will provide for you. However, I've learned from my parents the importance of appreciating how money is earned. That appreciation translates into respecting how it is used and managed. Money management includes not only using money wisely, but saving with a purpose. Too often we save for the wrong reasons and or/ use money in very unproductive ways. Understanding how to effectively manage your funds is key to building generational wealth one penny at at time. I've learned that through efficient money management, at an early age, you can begin to build financial freedom. I've watched my parents deny themselves in order to provide for me. This level of unselfish money management has enabled me to attend a private school and has provided all of my needs, allowing me to focus on my academic achievements. I strive to emulate their example and be an efficient and effective money manager as I learn to manage my personal finances and build a life and a career.

1. Why have you chosen your specific professional healthcare field of interest? On November 26, 2021, I woke up in the Trauma One Unit of Oklahoma Medical Center to learn that, for five days a ventilator had been my lifeline, as my body fought to repair itself. I was involved in a car accident that could have ended by life. I sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), C5 Spinal Fracture, two broken ribs and severely bruised lungs. My first question to my Dad was “Did you call coach to tell him I’ll be late to basketball practice”. I am an athlete who has been blessed. I survived a car crash and after 17 days of being hospitalized in an ICU, followed by intensive rehabilitation, I walked out on no medication. I have the exceptional doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians and other medical practitioners to thank for my miraculous recovery. Prior to the accident I made a decision to explore working with athletes in the medical field. I was not sure what I really wanted to pursue. Now, I am sure. I plan to study Kinesiology as a pathway to Sports Medicine. My goal is to with athletes who have been injured and support their physicality, helping them to get back to their previous physical abilities or be in better health than they were before their injury. 2. How will you commit yourself to diversity within your respective choice of profession? As an African-American male who was born in Atlanta, Ga, and raised in Liberia, West Africa, the birthplace of my mother, I understand and appreciate diversity and culture. As a Sports Medicine doctor, I will promote inclusion of young people, such as myself, and use my platform to mentor those under-represented in the profession. I was encouraged from childhood to embrace diversity and celebrate my culture. I will endeavor to share these ideals with young people through by professional work as a Sports Medicine Physician and also as the Founder of Byrd Basketball Foundation, a non-profit, which I founded in 2021 to host basketball camps for underprivileged youth in Liberia. 3. What are your financial needs, and how will you use this scholarship to support your future endeavors? My parents are hardworking middle income professionals. While they will do all they can to finance my education, with the rising costs of college today, it will be a challenge. I will use this scholarship towards my college tuition and associated expenses, thereby relieving some of the burden off my parents. 4. What goals do you aspire to accomplish within the next 10 years? By 2033 I aspire to be a Sports Medicine doctor who has completed his residency and is working with a sports team as team doctor. I want to proudly celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Byrd Basketball Foundation, which will have expanded from hosting basketball camps in Liberia to impacting the lives of boys around the world through sports.