Julie and Derrick have both learned to make obstacles opportunities. They both "love their life", and their message is one of hope, joy, inspiration and laughter. Julie has Down Syndrome which is caused by an extra chromosome that her Grampa called the Love Chromosome. Derrick had an injury and is paralyzed on his left side. The brother and sister duo travel the world sharing their message of learning to "Love Your Life". From huge Corporate events to small community venues, Derrick and Julie, inspire, motivate and bring laughs. Derrick is a full time stand up comedian and speaker and says "nothing is better than getting to work wiThey would love to talk with you about your next event.
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Audience members will laugh until their side hurts and have a great time! They may not realize it because they are having so much fun, but they will be learning some very valuable lessons along the way such as Face the Impossible! Obstacles are Opportunities! or LOVE your LIFE!
Julie -
I think youll agree that Julie is a very wise and insightful person. Julie's Love Chromosome is something she would like to share. "I wish everybody could have one", she says. As you get to know Julie, you will see countless ways this love chromosome affects those around her. Allow us to share an example:
Julie and her mom, Barb were at the grocery store together when Julie was 5. A man entered the door wearing a dirty, wrinkled, old trench coat. He was unshaven and disheveled, with hair so greasy that it stuck in clumps. He probably smelled too, but Barb was not going to get close enough to find out. She thought how unnecessary this was as her town had one of the best Rescue Missions in the country. "At least get some clean clothes and TAKE a shower", she thought.
While checking out Barb took Julie out of the cart. Julie took off like a shot towards the man with both her arms outstretched. He bent down and picked her up as she nestled into his disgustingly dirty neck. Barb panicked and rushed to the man grabbing Julie back and saying (not so nicely) THIS IS MY CHILD!
What happened next has burned itself into Barb's mind forever. The man looked at her with tears rolling down his filthy cheek. "Lady, he said, I cant tell you the last time somebody wanted to hold me".
You see, Barb saw a man and she judged him. Julie saw a need, and she hugged it.
Derrick -
Derrick Tennant, a gifted athlete, was progressing in his dream for a career in sports when one evening he laid down but did not wake up for three days.
He had undergone what doctors would later term random bleeding from point x for an unknown reason. Paralyzed and in a coma, Derrick underwent brain surgery from which he became unable to move his left side. It would take years of therapy to re-learn the basics like walking, talking and simple daily tasks. Derrick is still unable to use his left arm and he walks with a limp, but he has learned a lot through this process.
Derrick credits one thing for his ability to make it through this process not only alive, but also learning and growing: LOVE. Receiving love from his family, his friends, and his God combined with learning to better demonstrate love in the midst of difficulty were essential to Derricks survival and vitality.
With years of therapy and hard work, Derrick eventually was able to return to the court. In 1993, he played basketball overseas competitively. "You should have seen me when I had two arms", he says. Derrick now travels the world sharing his story and encouraging others to use obstacles as opportunities. He is a internationally known stand up comic and motivational speaker, and even does some one armed MAGIC shows.
Julie and Derrick get the privilege of traveling the world and bringing JOY. Their message of Loving your Life resonates with audiences of all types. They love to do fund raisers for great causes and have a special package to help you raise more money for your event too.
Motivational Speaker
