Handsome, articulate, athletic, compassionate, tenacious, witty and confident. Ryan Martin, the keynote speaker for the finale of the Living Exceptionally unit at Polson Middle School, is all that and more.

He also has Spina Bifida, is a bilateral amputee, and navigates the world via a wheelchair.  Research on the stigma and discrimination toward individuals living with a disability indicates that many peple would be a bit uncomfortable around him and view him as different and perhaps even inferior.

Martin spoke at a Polson assembly recently and it was his courage, perseverance, competitive spirit that shone through. And it was clear that he has a relentless desire to use his personal experience living with a disability as a way in which to give back to others. 

Love affair with basketball began at the age of age of 12

Martin was born with Spina Bifida and adopted at birth by a Somers, CT family with twelve children, including eight who were adopted.  As a result of his birth defect, he had both legs amputated above the knee at the age of two.  Despite his physical disability, Ryan started playing basketball in his wheelchair with his older siblings at the age of 12.  He immediately fell in love with the sport.

After graduating from Somers High School in 1997, Ryan attended college at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) where he played under legendary coach Dale Erikson.  During his five years in college, Ryan excelled both academically and athletically.  He graduated with a degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Sociology and is currently working on his master's degree in Curriculum Instruction.

As a basketball player at SMSU, Ryan was a four-year letter winner, three-year captain and graduated holding multiple assist records.  He joined the 1,000 point club his senior year and currently holds every major assist record (most assists in a game, season, and career). Ryan helped lead SMSU to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) National Title Game in 2001.

Dedicated to giving back to his community

After graduation from college, Ryan joined the Phoenix Wheelchair Suns and teamed up with NWBA Hall of Famer, Jimbo Miller, to help guide the Suns to the NWBA Final Four in 2005 & 2006.  In 2007, Ryan joined the vastly growing professional wheelchair basketball league in Spain and has played for Spain for the past four years. 

Ryan has a dedicated commitment to give back to his community by establishing The Ryan Martin Foundation.   His foundation raises awareness about individuals living with a disability through his speaking to 4^th-12^th grade students.  The goals of his presentations are three fold:

• Build empathy toward diversity- including issues related to ethnicity, disability and self-esteem
• Demonstrate that the sky is the limit, regardless of one’s adversities
• Build comfort levels and reduce the stigma about persons with disabilities

Also offers free summer basketball camp in South Windsor

In addition to his speaking engagements in schools, Ryan also offers a free summer basketball camp for students with disabilities in South Windsor, Ct.  This summer will be his third season encouraging student athletes living with a disability both on and off the basketball court. 

All of the 7^th and 8^th grade students at Walter C. Polson Middle School attended Ryan Martin’s assembly, and were incredibly moved by his story.  Upon leaving the assembly, there were youthful mumbling and remarks such as “unbelievable”, “I hope he comes back next year”, “I totally forgot he was even in a wheelchair”, “He was so cool”. 

Nick VanDell, a seventh grade student said, “It was awesome having him (Ryan) there and it is amazing that he is playing basketball.  It’s great that he is always happy and smiling.  He is an inspiration!”  Allie Nelson, an eighth grader added, “Ryan’s courage awed me.  I had more respect for this man than anyone I have ever heard speak.  I left his assembly with a new view of individuals with any sort of ‘exceptionality’.” 

Martin's keynote address just the beginning

Ryan Martin’s keynote assembly was just the beginning of the “Living Exceptionally” guest speaker day.  The disability awareness event was choreographed by two seventh grade teachers, Amy Brejvo and Lynne Nadeau, and a formidable group of seventh grade student “ambassadors” who guided the additional fourteen speakers to their classrooms and special guest luncheon.

All of the spokespersons were individuals touched by a disability- either themselves or through a relationship with a family member.  The disability educators spoke to 7^th grade students about physical as well as emotional challenges including blindness, paralysis, arthritis, cerebral palsy, Friedrich’s ataxia, unified basketball, childhood onset mental illness, autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD),Down’s syndrome, traumatic brain injury, therapeutic horseback riding and Tourette’s syndrome.