When Morgan was born she suffered a brain injury during delivery due to a lack of oxygen. As a result Morgan was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. When she was 4 months old she began having seizures which were ultimately diagnosed as epilepsy. At that time the doctors said that she would not survive past the age of 10. They also said that she would never walk or talk and would have limited cognitive function that would prohibit her from ever attending school normally. She began intense physical, occupational and speech therapies at 6 months old and continued until she was 18. Morgan is now 25 years old.
Despite living with some physical limitations, she has defied all of the odds. She attended Bentonville High School and was part of the varsity cheer team. She has done volunteer work throughout the community, been an active member of several committees throughout Northwest Arkansas, including the Community Access Committee at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and also does public speaking engagements in order to teach others about cerebral palsy, tube feedings and living a “differently abled” life. Morgan has a heart for giving back and anyone who meets her instantly falls in love with her. She has a smile that is infectious and a passion for life that is unmatched. Her desire of wanting to do more in the community is how she initially connected with First Tee – NWA.
According to Morgan, this is how she got started with First Tee – “One morning I woke up with this idea of helping my community and I was doing some research online. One afternoon my mom told me about this organization called First Tee – NWA and I love helping people in my community. I partnered with First Tee to do a Back to School drive and a Christmas Toy Drive.”
For the last two years, Morgan has partnered with us in our efforts to help out the underserved community with Back to School supplies in August. Using her infectious personality and connections she’s made through her father’s Insurance Agency, Morgan has helped us increase our impact in huge ways. We were so glad to have her join us at our Back to School event this past August to help us hand out lunchboxes and interact with the kids we serve.
Morgan has shown to be an incredible difference maker in our community – she has proven that hard work and determination is all it takes. She is the true definition of what it means to be “the power of one.”
