By fourth grade, our next guest was completely blind and completely deaf.
But decided he would never let those disabilities be an obstacle.
Now he's a varsity football player at his high school,
proving to everyone that nothing could get in his way.
From Pottstown, Pennsylvania, please welcome, Marvin Pearson.
Well Marvin, you're something else and happy birthday, it's your birthday today.
>> Thank you.
>> [APPLAUSE].
>> You know what like- >> [APPLAUSE]
>> Who plans this?
It's my birthday and I'm in LA on the Ellen Show?
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Who plans stuff like this?
You are literally the most inspirational person in the world.
Not even women, just the most inspirational person in general.
>> Well, I would say the same to you.
So thank you very much for saying that about me.
>> No problem.
>> But really you are an inspiration.
So this is crazy, you were eight years old and everything was fine.
And then slowly you started losing your vision and hearing at the same time or
first your vision?
>> To be honest I didn't even realize I was losing my hearing.
But as far as my vision goes, I went into school and I looked at a dictionary and
I realized at first I had to find a dictionary.
But I looked at it and I realized I can't see the words on this paper and
I told my teacher.
And of course, but my teacher didn't believe me cuz I was always that type of
person, I played around a lot.
And it was the boy who cried wolf demeanor all over again and
nobody believed me at first.
And then I didn't realize my hearing was going until
they fixed me up with a hearing aid.
And then I finally realized I can hear a lot better than what I did before.
>> Right, so by ten years old you had lost- completely your vision.
And you were completely deaf, which is when you got the,
what is this called that you can hear with?
>> I wear a cochlear implant.
>> Right, and so that's why you can speak so
well because that was put in right away, right?
>> [LAUGH] Yes, ma'am. >> Cuz you're completely deaf.
>> Yes ma'am.
>> Wow, all right, and the doctors have no explanation for this, they don't know why.
>> Absolutely none, as far my vision goes, the doctors know that I have
retina detachment cuz I have one of the best doctors in the world Albert McGuire.
And he realized that my vision was going and
he knew that I had a retinal detachment.
But he couldn't exactly explain why my vision, why it's
not as good as anybody else's and why my retina exactly detached.
And as far as my hearing goes, between me and you,
I don't think they knew why my hearing started going.
>> Yeah [LAUGH].
>> [LAUGH] I don't know why.
>> Yeah.
Okay, so and how has this, because this is now,
it started ten years ago, it's been eight years since both have completely gone.
How has this changed you as a person?
>> To be honest with you, going deaf and blind at the same time when I was about
eight, both mentally and emotionally matured me as a person.
Because I used to play around a lot.
And I'm not gonna lie to you, I still do play around.
But it's not to the extent of what I did when I was younger.
Now I realize it's time for me to grow up and it's time for me prove to the world.
Not just the people around me, not just to community within my circle, but
to the world.
All the people stands in the crowd right now, it's time to prove to you guys that
people with disabilities can do anything that you can do, unless we're talking-
>> [APPLAUSE]
>> Unless we're talking about driving.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> All right, well now you're going to have
self-driving cars, so you can drive too, don't say that.
>> Definitely.
>> You actually can.
So you play football, what position do you play?
>> I'm a running back slash quarterback.
Definitely an experience being able to step out to that football field game,
do what any other football player would do.
And I usually get in at a wildcat formation.
And once I step on that field, it's my job to know what's happening and
get people lined up.
And it's my job to get the ball from the center and
be able to run, score touchdowns and two point conversions and just do what I do.
>> Which you've done, cuz last week you did a two point conversion.
>> Yes ma'am. >> And the week
before you had a touchdown.
>> Yes ma'am.
>> Which is unbelievable.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> That's him running and
that's your teammate behind you.
And I know you have an inspiration in the NFL.
Tell us everybody who your quarterback is.
>> Drew Brees, baby.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> That's right.
>> Coming out of college,
I looked up to Drew Brees as an inspiration because coming out of college.
Drew Brees, everybody was talking about a quarterback who can pass a good ball.
He can definitely throw a nice football, but they were saying he's too short,
he's 5'11", he's 5'10", don't let him lie to you.
But with the cleats on and the helmet, 5'11, six foot,
I give it a benefit of the doubt.
But they were saying he lacks arm strength and
he wouldn't be able to see over his offensive line men.
I think his tallest offensive line man is 6'7.
But Drew Brees, he does what he has to do in the football field and
proves everybody wrong- that I'm one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
And it goes to show five out of six years leading the league in passing and
I wanna be able to set an example.
Like Drew Brees has proven to everybody.
You can get over any obstacle that's in front of your way.
>> Because you love Drew so much, I got in touch with them.
The Saints would love for you to be their VIP guest at one of their home games.
You're gonna- we're gonna fly you to New Orleans and
you're gonna go on the field before the game.
You're gonna meet Drew and some of the players
>> Wait, is my head bobbing.
>> Yep, yeah you're happy.
Your plans after you graduate are what?
>> After I graduate from high school, I plan on attending
either Temple University in Philadelphia or Kutztown University.
Because they are both great programs with great sports management in general,
business management.
>> Well, I'm sure you're gonna go very far and
I can't wait to see you come back here and tell me what you're doing next.
But Shutterfly thinks your story is inspiring, they wanna
give you a check for $10,000 to help with your costs of college.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> We have a check for $10,000.
>> Is my head bobbing again?
>> It's bobbing again.