Blaise Winter

The Man. Blaise Winter is living proof of the POWER OF MIND AND BODY. Born with a cleft lip and palate, he underwent many surgeries and long hours of speech therapy. Tumors removed in each ear resulted in deafness in one ear.

Mistakenly placed in a class for mentally retarded children, Blaise rejected feelings of self-doubt and low self-esteem finding acceptance through sports. "Sports," Blaise says, "were a way for me to speak without opening my mouth." However, the experts said he had no physical athletic talent. Blaise's response was to develop a habit of positive self-talk that has dominated his life.

The Mission. Blaise again proved the experts wrong by being named MVP of Syracuse University in 1983. Not only was he drafted into the NFL, but he went on to play 11 years of professional football and ended his NFL career with a Championship ring! Blaise played for the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and San Diego Charges.

The Message. "A self-made man with flaws," Blaise has a unique ability to touch all audiences. According to Blaise, "I'm human. I'm not a clone, a dictionary or super hero." He speaks with a fresh and sincere style which echos with passion. Be it laughing one moment or stone silent the next, the message is clear — Blaise convinces his audience that they can make a difference.