Overcoming one hurdle after another, football captain is shining example of perseverance
by Chris Womack
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Anyone that's played or coached football knows that while wins and losses are what are focused on every Friday, they're rarely what gets remembered.
The sport is about so much more - one of Asheville Christian's team captains and defensive lineman, Elijah Parker, is a perfect example.
"He's here every day, he works his tail off, he plays with a really high motor, big heart, loves his teammates," Head Coach Rick Spurling tells News 13.
Elijah was voted team captain for the lions his senior year -- a special honor for a special kid and it’s obvious when you speak to his mother, Hope Parker.
"He is an absolute blessing and joy that I couldn't live without," Hope says. "I mean, he was prayed for eight years and I was told by doctors I would never have him."
But, from the moment he entered this world there were questions. He failed the hearing tests at the hospital time after time after he was born. His parents finally learned their little miracle had been born deaf.
"He had his first implant surgery when he was four years old," Hope says. "So he actually didn't hear a sound for the first time until he was four." But that became a pattern for his life. Hurdle -- overcome. Doubters -- proven wrong.
"I want them to know that deaf people can do anything," Elijah says.
His parents were determined that Elijah experience the world like anyone else would. "We wanted him to have both sides of the world, deaf world and - you know, be in the deaf world and be in the hearing community," Hope says.
Which is why the first part of his day is spent at the North Carolina School for the Deaf.
"Here at the school I use more American sign language," Elijah says. "I don't really use my voice a whole lot here. But when I'm with my football team, I use my voice. And also I can read their lips as well."
The School for the Deaf allows him to learn in a way that's comfortable, but continue pushing himself out of his comfort zone. He says he loves being a part of the robotics club at the school. “I love to build the robots. It gives me a challenge"
Elijah says he's always loved the challenges. It's a trait he gets from his dad, John. "Really I'm inspired by my father. My dad wanted me to play football."
"His daddy and him had an amazing relationship," Hope says. "He coached him in basketball, he coached him in football. He was heartbroken, he was crushed when we had to tell him his daddy was stage four pancreatic cancer." That cancer would take Elijah's dad from him at the age of 16.
But around that time, a new presence arrived in his life. His mother says, "When I lost John, I started praying for men that would be able to invest in his life, walk alongside him. I never dreamed it would be a total group of strangers." The Asheville Christian program - then known as the Asheville Saints - welcomed him into their family.
"I wanted to join with the full pads and helmets but my dad didn't really want me to join because they were concerned about my cochlear implant and the magnet and the technology messed up," Elijah says.
He found a helmet that would protect his cochlear implant, and now that there was a way, Coach Spurling says, "He reads lips extremely well and if we can square him up he can understand every word I say."
"John would be incredibly proud of him - as I am," Hope says. "That is something that - John looked us both in the face multiple times and said, 'please don't stop living. Please don't stop doing. Please keep encouraging him like we've always encouraged him,' and that's what Elijah's doing. He's continuing to live, he's continuing to pursue his dreams."
But he's not just working for his dreams. Elijah says he wants those that follow in his footsteps to know even if the situation looks bleak, they too can keep living.
His coach says he see’s a bright future for Elijah. "He wants to coach and teach. And I think he's going to be fantastic at that."
Elijah says he sees it as an opportunity "to support the deaf community and to make sure that there's equality in the sporting environment for people with disabilities."
His mother says she knows what Elijah has been through and can see the potential his big heart has for his future. "He has seen the struggles and he has seen the disadvantages," Hope says. "He's felt, experienced those disadvantages, but he wants everyone to be able to, not in sports, in life, be able to pursue their dreams and passion.
by Chris Womack
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Anyone that's played or coached football knows that while wins and losses are what are focused on every Friday, they're rarely what gets remembered.
The sport is about so much more - one of Asheville Christian's team captains and defensive lineman, Elijah Parker, is a perfect example.
"He's here every day, he works his tail off, he plays with a really high motor, big heart, loves his teammates," Head Coach Rick Spurling tells News 13.
Elijah was voted team captain for the lions his senior year -- a special honor for a special kid and it’s obvious when you speak to his mother, Hope Parker.
"He is an absolute blessing and joy that I couldn't live without," Hope says. "I mean, he was prayed for eight years and I was told by doctors I would never have him."
But, from the moment he entered this world there were questions. He failed the hearing tests at the hospital time after time after he was born. His parents finally learned their little miracle had been born deaf.
"He had his first implant surgery when he was four years old," Hope says. "So he actually didn't hear a sound for the first time until he was four." But that became a pattern for his life. Hurdle -- overcome. Doubters -- proven wrong.
"I want them to know that deaf people can do anything," Elijah says.
His parents were determined that Elijah experience the world like anyone else would. "We wanted him to have both sides of the world, deaf world and - you know, be in the deaf world and be in the hearing community," Hope says.
Which is why the first part of his day is spent at the North Carolina School for the Deaf.
"Here at the school I use more American sign language," Elijah says. "I don't really use my voice a whole lot here. But when I'm with my football team, I use my voice. And also I can read their lips as well."
The School for the Deaf allows him to learn in a way that's comfortable, but continue pushing himself out of his comfort zone. He says he loves being a part of the robotics club at the school. “I love to build the robots. It gives me a challenge"
Elijah says he's always loved the challenges. It's a trait he gets from his dad, John. "Really I'm inspired by my father. My dad wanted me to play football."
"His daddy and him had an amazing relationship," Hope says. "He coached him in basketball, he coached him in football. He was heartbroken, he was crushed when we had to tell him his daddy was stage four pancreatic cancer." That cancer would take Elijah's dad from him at the age of 16.
But around that time, a new presence arrived in his life. His mother says, "When I lost John, I started praying for men that would be able to invest in his life, walk alongside him. I never dreamed it would be a total group of strangers." The Asheville Christian program - then known as the Asheville Saints - welcomed him into their family.
"I wanted to join with the full pads and helmets but my dad didn't really want me to join because they were concerned about my cochlear implant and the magnet and the technology messed up," Elijah says.
He found a helmet that would protect his cochlear implant, and now that there was a way, Coach Spurling says, "He reads lips extremely well and if we can square him up he can understand every word I say."
"John would be incredibly proud of him - as I am," Hope says. "That is something that - John looked us both in the face multiple times and said, 'please don't stop living. Please don't stop doing. Please keep encouraging him like we've always encouraged him,' and that's what Elijah's doing. He's continuing to live, he's continuing to pursue his dreams."
But he's not just working for his dreams. Elijah says he wants those that follow in his footsteps to know even if the situation looks bleak, they too can keep living.
His coach says he see’s a bright future for Elijah. "He wants to coach and teach. And I think he's going to be fantastic at that."
Elijah says he sees it as an opportunity "to support the deaf community and to make sure that there's equality in the sporting environment for people with disabilities."
His mother says she knows what Elijah has been through and can see the potential his big heart has for his future. "He has seen the struggles and he has seen the disadvantages," Hope says. "He's felt, experienced those disadvantages, but he wants everyone to be able to, not in sports, in life, be able to pursue their dreams and passion.
