As heard on Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON   LIVE every Wed. @ 10:00am & available archival via link at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/linkedlocalnetwork/2013/05/15/tamara-leighs-trend-on-with-heidi-james-perdue-edd

THIS PAST WEEK on Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON – Engaging Your Audience to TREND ON You!  Our guest James Perdue Ed.D.  – Motivational / Keynote Speaker & Author, successful Teacher and Coach, and a Quadriplegic shared his message of Inspiration in Persevering Past Your Paralysis with our audience, as well as our other TREND ON Guest, George Patterson, VP at Robertson/Ryan and Insurance Consultant–Tips for Saving $ on Your Insurance and What Obamacare Means to You, along with a Special Tribute to a Friend.

ONE MORE PLAY – The Story of  Dr James Perdue, Ed.D

         Irreversible split seconds of time.  They come and go 86,400 times in a day.  Intersection, Sliding Doors, and dozens of other movie’s premises are based on such moments –the simultaneously elusive and controlled timing of events in our life.  “If only I had,”  “If only I hadn’t…”  Is life random chance of events or is there a magnetic pull to a pre-chartered map that makes our life happen as it does?

          On Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON – Engaging Your Audience to TREND ON You! on the Linked Local Network this past week, my guest, James Perdue, Ed.D, Speaker, Author, Educator, is the epitome of that fundamental question –  and the answer.  In his most recent book, One More Play, Dr. James Perdue tells the powerful story of how One More Play, became that split second rendering the rest of his life irreversibly changed.

  As a promising professional ballplayer, James was a young determined kid on his way to fulfilling his major league dreams with a college scholarship.  One game into the season, James played a friendly pick-up game of football with his buddies.  Walking off the field to get on with homework and grab a bite to eat, James was talked into One More Play as the receiver.

He ran the ball, scored the TD, but before he could turn around for any celebratory high fives, a blur of force came rushing at James. He caught the movement out of his peripheral vision.  Then the split second hit him.   James was tackled and taken down—never to get up and walk again.

Paralyzed, paraplegic, nursing home.  Not scenarios anyone was to hear, particularly when you’re 19.  Especially not when you’re whole life had focused on being a professional athlete.

Taking his determination to play major league baseball, and redirecting that focus and discipline to his rehabilitation and education, Dr. James Perdue, now brings his story to others to help audiences see what is “paralyzing” them, whether emotionally, mentally, socially, or physically, and how to “Persevere Past Your Paralysis” to move forward to a more fulfilled life.

Easily said.  Much hard lived.

But sometimes help comes in equally unexpected ways.  Imagine, being James, determined to apply the “never quit” heart and mindset of an athlete to his circumstances.  One morning, shifting himself from his bed to his wheelchair, the chair rolled out from under him, leaving James stranded on the floor with his phone far away from him in the next room.  Two hours later, James had managed to propel himself to reach the phone and call for help.

Not always easy, but never alone.

After that incident, help came to James in the form of a four-legged companion, specially trained to be a service dog named Ricardo, and the hero of another one of James’ books, Never Fear Ricardo is Here!

“Change, for better or worse, is inevitable – it’s what we do, or don’t do that determines whether you let it paralyze you – Paralyze being ‘whatever prevents you from achieving your goal.”   With Perseverance, Patience, & Power,'” says James’s in his “3 Ps for overcoming adversity — he  delivers a message with humility, humor, and gratitude to motivate people to triumph over tragedies. James’s wit engages audiences as they hear his inspirational story.”

A few facts about James Perdue, Ed.D:

• He has been profiled in the Storytelling Magazine The Hero’s Journey, ABC,CBS, Fox News, and NBC, Sport Spectrum Ministries Radio and other media.

• He was honored as October Teacher of the Month in 2006, Top Teacher of the Week by Fox News in 2005 and Teacher of the Year in 2002.

•  His was Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2000 while winning a state championship.

• He received the Jo Andrews Award in 1995 and Dr. Hal R. Rammer Award in 1991 both for overcoming adversity.

• James received his Doctorate Degree from Tennessee State University in 2011, Masters Degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 1995, Bachelor Degree  from Middle Tennessee State University in 1993, and Associate Degree fromVolunteer State Community College in 1990.

**For Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON listeners, James has offered a special 2 for 1 book offer –just mention the show.

For more information, book James Perdue, Ed.D, or to order One More Play & Ricardo to the Rescue, or   James as a speaker, visit his website at: www.JamesPerdueSpeaks.com

TODAY!! Tamara’s listeners Buy Both Books for $20!!  James has mad a special offer available to our TL’s TREND ON & LLN audience.