Episode 248 is special on many levels. First of all, my lovely bride Heather joins me for the first time ever on an unscripted episode. There’s a reason for that. Heather works in the deaf culture. She has worked in this culture since graduating from college years ago. It is her passion, her love and her heart.
Today’s guest is a man named Brad Minns.
Brad is the subject of a book called “Never Give Up” and a film of the same name that releases in September. His story, of winning a gold medal in the deaf olympics in 1985 is incredible. But that is not all.
Our interview with Brad is incredible. Brad’s entire life is incredible. The interview is long so I encourage you to break it up into smaller segments. Press pause. Come back to it.
Brad has lived an extraordinary life. I am better today because I met Brad Minns earlier today.
I promise you will be challenged and changed.
Check out nevergiveupfilm.com and bradminns.com for this amazing new friend of ours. Please listen all the way through. Take it in segments. Hear his heart. Hear his story. Read his book and see the film.
Never give up!
Brad was born in Toledo, Ohio on June 9, 1965. At the age of three he lost his hearing when he contracted a deadly fever. Rather than send him to special schools, his parents made sure Brad knew how to read lips and had him fitted with hearing aids.
He began playing sports and found that he had an interest in tennis, which he began to participate in more and more. He went on to become one of the top junior players in his age division and received a scholarship at the University of Toledo as a walk-on. The only difference between Brad and his teammates was the fact that he could hear the cheers of the crowds who came to watch him play. After college he went on to become the USA’s number one deaf tennis player and won numerous World Deaf Championships. He also helped the USA to win its first ever Dreese Cup in 1995.
Not being content with just playing professional tennis at the World level, he began using his body building in earnest. In 1995 he won the PAS / Experimental and Applied Sciences nutritional supplement transformation contest now known as Body-For-Life and became their second national spokesperson. His bodybuilding success earned him various modeling jobs including being Nordic Flex’s cover model and appearing in their national advertising campaign.
Brad has always met his goals and is now determined to teach others how to go for their dreams. Today, he lives with his wife Ginny in Orlando, FL and works as a tennis professional and personal trainer. He speaks at FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) groups where he shares his testimony of living a life for Christ.
