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Athletes Unlimited is a non-profit Organization that provides athletic outlets for
people with disabilities. Everyone regardless of abilities benefits from
participating in sports. Athletes Unlimited provides these opportunities to as many
physically challenged individuals as possible. What's unique about Athletes Unlimited
is their athletic scholarships. We attended their annual golf outing, which raises funds for
their athletes. Dr. Pierce started Athletes Unlimited after working in his practice,
Michigan Sports and Spine. Basically we developed Athletes Unlimited sixteen years ago for
disabled athletes. Coming from Chicago in a big program that had being a sports medicine
doctor, working in rehab it just seemed like the mix for myself to get involved with.
And being able to touch a lot of lives is what we're really trying to do.
Quietly, there's a lot of sponsors here. You George Gervin, Darren McCarty.
There's been a ton of celebrities that have come out to support.
And we realize what these athletes are really going through.
And when I started coaching the wheelchair basketball team for the national championship
and it meant a lot and I just tried to carry the momentum all the way through it all
these years. Seeing that other people are getting more involved in the organization through
hard times and still coming out to this event, year after year is so important and heart
warming. For George Gervin to take one day out of his life to come out here.
To just fly in for the day, it means a lot. Ted Lindsey always shows up, Vladi is always here.
Chris Jacob is always been supportive. Our new best friend Darren McCarty has been
phenomenal and always supportive to the point that we don't even need to ask him if he's going
to be here to support. How long is he going to stay. He's been here the whole time and
supportive of my family, my wife and actually I've actually developed a family through this
and they've learned a lot. And not that it's humbling but it puts life in perspective
watching these athletes and what they do.
And the entertainers over the years that I've taken care of and supportive, the Kevin
Chesney's, the Tim McGraws, the Kid Rock's, the Bob Segar's, they don't realize
when they sign something that it's raising money to help these people.
And when I tell them and follow up they're always willing to so it year after
year. So with all that it's a special thing.
I'm just a doc trying to help people and nothing more than that.
But it's touched lives and we've raised a lot of money over the fourteen years.
And that's why talking about why we're out here, what it does for the actual impaired
individual. Being in the office seeing these people with fresh injuries, fresh spinal cord
injuries, fresh amputations, newly diagnosed issues.
They think their life is over and we try to inspire them with the athletes and the
sports and getting them back out.
It just them from a health standpoint, a social standpoint and self-awareness
and self-image. And these guys have gone on to become Olympic athletes.
We have a lot of Olympic athletes. And we don't just focus on them.
We focus on the individuals that are still sitting at home. Those are the people that we really
want. We want those people to come out and feel like they can still do things and contribute.
And we've had every story possible. People that were sitting in their house for too
long didn't think they could make it.
Going through depression or they have health issues and then getting them into sports
and it solves almost all of those issues. They start taking less medications and their
nutrition is better. Their well-being is better. And we want to say that we're a part
of that and we encourage that and we hopefully inspire that and that's really what we want
to do. Participants from the golf outing come from all over. Meet Darren McCarty a retired
Red Wing's player. He understands the value of sports and that's why he participates.
I think it's a great opportunity. I don't know how many years in a row I've been
out here. But obviously my relationship with Dr. Pierce has led me to support the
Athlete's Unlimited and I think that's, being an athlete and seeing the courage and the
desire that a lot of these young kids have through disabilities is inspirational to anybody.
To come out here and see old faces and see new faces that's what this tournament is all
about. Come out and have a good time and hey I get to come out and a nice round each year.
It can't get any better than that. So it's always an honor to be here.
George Gervin is a retired NBA Basketball player and is inspired by the competitive
spirit of disabled athletes. Well I'm here for Athletes Unlimited. Dr. Pierce puts on a
tremendous tournament. And what it's for is really the key that's why I come every year.
I think this is his fourteenth year. I think the most beautiful part about it is that he cares
to bring all of these people together for one cause is something special. So I
appreciate him. I appreciate the young athletes who have the courage to keep moving on.
They don't let a disability stop them. And I think that's the most beautiful part about it
all so I'm glad to be here. Maurice Phillips is a coach for a wheelchair basketball team,
the Detroit Diehards. His team is one of the recipients of this year's scholarships.
Having a great time out here today. A matter of fact, I'm playing with Beth Taylor from
athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame. Also we have some other people out here from RIM,
and some other great people from other organizations.
Just having a great time just hitting this white golf ball.
We're not doing to bad but we're struggling putting wise but other than that we're
doing pretty good but being out here with thesis guys is pretty fantastic.
Later on today at dinner we're going to be giving out a couple of scholarships.
Athletes Unlimited has been a tremendous factor in the disability community, as far
as getting wheelchairs, tennis chairs, track chairs, different organizations and
they're sort of like with our basketball team at Rehab Institute of Michigan, they
sponsor our tournament every year we've had it every year we've had it for the last three
years. And they help us out tremendously as far as the basketball team.
But they've also helped junior basketball hockey, just everything.
The money that's raised at this golf tournament helps so many disabled athletes all
over the state.