Derrick Coleman has been deaf since he was three years old, but this has never stopped in from pursuing his dreams.

He became a star running back in his home town of Troy High School in Fullerton, California. Despite having to deal with numerous obstacles; he persevered by learning how to lip read, and by wearing a hearing aid in both ears.

He’s one of the first offensive players in the history of the NFL to be legally deaf. He’s had to face tremendous obstacles in his life. When he played for UCLA, he ran for over 1,200 years and scored 11 touchdowns in his last two seasons. He did not make the NFL draft coming out of college; several people wanted Coleman to change positions to fullback because he was six feet tall and he weighed 233 pounds.

Despite what they told Coleman, he decided that he liked running back and was not going to change positions.  He then got an opportunity to make the Minnesota Vikings, only to be cut in the final week of picks.

In December 2012, he was asked to come play on the Seattle Seahawnks practice squad , Coleman proved himself to the coaches.

On January 11^th, 2014 he was playing fullback, and the quarterback threw a pass intended for the tight end. The ball deflected off the hands of the Seahawks tight end,and Coleman caught the ball and ran it in for the touchdown.

 At 23, Coleman will ready to take on the NFC Championship game coming up on January 19^th, 2014.

Coleman serves as an example to anyone facing obstacle in life. No matter what we face in our livies, there is a way persevere through it and adapt. One of the greatest football coaches to ever coach football said, “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

If we approach our work with focus and diligence, we can do amazing things.

Duracell did a truly inspirational video showcasing how Coleman overcame several obstacles in his life.

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Editor: Bryonie Wise

Photo: Wikicommons)