ONE MORE PLAY CHANGED EVERYTHING: JAMES PERDUE’S ABCs OF PERSEVERANCE

ONE MORE PLAY CHANGED EVERYTHING: JAMES PERDUE’S ABCs OF PERSEVERANCE What do you do when one unexpected moment destroys the future you spent your entire life building? On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Dr. James Perdue—the Professor of Perseverance—for a powerful conversation about accepting adversity, beginning the battle, and conquering life’s greatest challenges. At 19, James arrived at college on a baseball scholarship with professional scouts watching his progress. He was the only freshman starting for his team and dreamed of becoming a professional player. Then he agreed to play one more play in a pickup football game. James carried the ball, broke several tackles, and scored a touchdown. After the play was over, another player hit him near the shoulder. James heard a loud pop and fell to the ground. When he tried to stand, nothing below his head followed. Three cervical vertebrae—C4, C5, and C6—were fractured. James was instantly paralyzed. Doctors warned that he might never move below his neck, and his family was advised to place him in a nursing home. Fortunately, James and his family were too stubborn to accept that as the end of his story. His athletic competitiveness became fuel for a new challenge. After years of pursuing rehabilitation and searching for a way to walk again, James accepted that he needed to create a meaningful life using the abilities he still possessed. He returned to college, earned advanced degrees, became an award-winning educator, and entered coaching without knowing much about basketball. By learning, adapting, and refusing to quit, James helped lead teams to repeated county championship appearances and a state championship. James also advocated for accessible recreation in his community. What began as a request for a wheelchair-accessible baseball field eventually helped inspire an inclusive park project where children with and without disabilities could play together. His story is not about pretending adversity does not hurt. It is about facing reality, developing a plan, learning from people who have traveled a similar road, and using what works to move forward. In this episode, you will discover: • How one final football play changed James’s life forever • Why his competitive spirit became a tool for survival • How acceptance differs from surrender • Why James searched for rehabilitation options for five years • How he redirected his athletic discipline toward education • What coaching taught him about leadership, humility, and compassion • Why winning should never require humiliating another person • How accessible spaces create opportunities for entire communities • Why forgiveness can release burdens carried for decades • How James became known as the Professor of Perseverance • Why mentorship can provide shortcuts through difficult seasons • How to apply James’s ABC approach to your own adversity THE ABCs OF OVERCOMING ADVERSITY A — ACCEPT YOUR ADVERSITY Acceptance does not mean that you approve of what happened or stop hoping for something better. It means recognizing the reality in front of you so you can begin developing a workable plan. B — BEGIN YOUR BATTLE Find people who have faced something similar. Ask questions, seek mentors, study available resources, and learn from their experience. You may feel alone, but someone else has probably walked a road close enough to help guide you. C — CONQUER YOUR CHALLENGE Put what you have learned into action. If one strategy fails, it does not mean the effort was wasted—it only means that approach was not right for you. Adjust the plan, keep moving, and build the best life possible with the cards you were dealt. SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN When you are going through a storm, keep moving through it. You do not have to like the adversity in front of you, but running from it may only keep you trapped inside it longer. Accept what has arrived, begin your battle, and take the next available step. When you finally see light at the end of the tunnel, make sure it is not another train—and then keep rolling toward it. CONNECT WITH DR. JAMES PERDUE Website: https://professorofperseverance.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professorofperseverance/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesPerdueSpeaks/ Professor of Perseverance Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/professor-of-perseverance-podcast/id1518353436 #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #JamesPerdue #ProfessorOfPerseverance #Perseverance #OvercomingAdversity #Resilience #DisabilityAwareness #InclusiveSports #Leadership #NeverGiveUp To support us: https://davidchametzky.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@davidchametzkyNOW https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547