Sharks can teach us a lot about failure, self pity, and cerebral palsy.
This is my story. Fox Beyer is a teacher, speaker, author, coach, and songwriter who released a book of poetry in January 2015 entitled, Letter Kindling; Igniting, Inspiring, and Evoking the Fire Within. Since the release of the book, he has launched a speaking career, giving candid accounts of what it has been like living and working with cerebral palsy. Growing up with three siblings, Fox acquired a love for baseball. In 1997, after pitching for Chatham High School (N.J.), he was invited by the New York Yankees to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before a game that July. From 1997 to 2002, Fox studied at the University of South Carolina, where he served two years as a manager and three years as a student coach for the Gamecock baseball program. In 2002, the team advanced to the College World Series, and became national runners-up. Currently, Fox is in his twelfth year as a Spanish teacher at Whippany Park High School (N.J.), where he has served as freshman baseball coach (2005-2012) and girls’ jayvee volleyball coach (2005-2011). He has also spent the last eleven years as a coach for the Somerset Patriots, an independent baseball team part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB). This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx