Words of enlightenment

As Inky Johnson walked back and forth across the makeshift stage Thursday afternoon in the Berg Middle School gymnasium, Newton students and guests from out-of-county school districts watched intently as the former college football player — whose prospects of becoming an NFL star were suddenly cut short when an in-game injury permanently paralyzed his right arm — spoke more like a seasoned coach trying to pump up his team minutes before they charged the field.

Now a motivational speaker for the past 13 years, Johnson travels across the country sharing his story, his past experiences and his purpose in life. He spoke openly about the troubled environment he grew up in and the subsequent incident that changed his life forever. All he had to do was play 10 more games and he would likely become a multi-millionaire and secure his place on an NFL team.

On Sept. 9, 2006, the cornerback for the University of Tennessee tackled an opposing player and went limp. He was bleeding internally and doctors needed to perform life-saving surgery. He would lose all motor use of his right arm, which is wrapped in a long sleeve. This incident, he said, was the third best thing that ever happened to him, next to meeting his wife and having his two children.

"I'd never change what happened to me," Johnson told the crowd, later adding that people's situations, environments and backgrounds should not determine the outcome of their life. He told students to have a mission and to work toward that mission and to fight against the burnout. People don't burn out because of what they do, he said. People burn out because life "makes them forget why they do it."

That is an “inspirational message,” Berg Middle School Principal Lisa Sharp said, even teachers can take away from Johnson’s speech, adding the Newton campus is already full of educators that aim to make the middle school a more exciting and memorable place to learn.

“Every day they get the honor of stepping in front of hundreds of kids, and it’s a great responsibility,” Sharp said. “They have one of the greatest opportunities to impact so many lives … We have an amazing staff here that go above and beyond to help kids all the time.”

She also thinks the stories of Johnson’s difficult environment will also resonate with students.

“What I want them to remember is that it doesn’t matter the challenges that you are living with, that you’re raised in — whatever the circumstances — if you have a dream, you need to go for it,” Sharp said. “Stick to it. Work hard.”

Getting Johnson to Berg Middle School has been a two-year process. To welcome the speaker, staff and students wore customized T-shirts — bearing the same orange-and-white color scheme as the University of Tennessee football team — with the phrase “Operation: Let’s Get Inky to Visit Berg” emblazoned across the front and his jersey number, 29, on the right sleeve.

Tyler Stewart, a Berg Middle School teacher and sponsor of the campus’ award-winning student council, said Johnson reacted well to the welcoming shirts.

Getting Johnson to Berg was thanks in part to fundraising from the middle school’s student council team and help from the Parent Teacher Student Association. Refusing to let Berg Middle School be an “average school,” Stewart hopes Johnson’s visit leaves a positive impact on students.

“I want everybody to find their own message with him,” Stewart said. “I want them to come to school with a different mindset every day. There are so many people every day that come to school and just have the mindset that they’re going to do the same old thing, and I want them to come to school and do something different.”

He added, “I want other people in Newton, maybe even elsewhere, to see what we’re doing here. Our educators here believe in our student council, believe in our kids. I want them to invest themselves into our school and into our community.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com