Distinguished Alum Rick Doerr '78 inspires today's students
Upper School students were treated to an inspirational assembly recently when the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Dr. Rick Doerr, Jr., MKA class of l978.
A standout athlete at both the high school and college level, Doerr was left paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident while studying medicine at the University of Chicago. Despite this, not only did he go only to establish his own medical practice in plastic surgery (in addition to providing free clinics to the uninsured) but he also became a world-class sailor, being named the Paralympic Athlete of the Year in 2006 and a representative of the US Paralympic sailing team in the recent Beijng Olympics.
Addressing the students. Doerr spoke repeatedly of his love for and pride in MKA and of the lessons it taught him that have served him so well in life. Admitting that “there’s nothing wonderful about high school when you’re in it,” he described how his teachers provided him with the tools to manage and direct a crew, his experiences as a student taught him to interact with others, and his time as a high school athlete gave him the attitude and skills that helped him deal with adversity. “If you achieve something that wasn’t hard work,” noted Doerr; “you probably won’t feel it was much of an accomplishment.” He went on to describe his close relationships with his MKA classmates, whom he still sees on a regular basis, and of his excitement at being back in Weiss Auditorium.
After receiving a standing ovation for his accomplishments, Doerr was surprised by friend and NJ Assemblyman Scott Rumana '83 who presented him with a written proclamation from the floor of the Assembly, honoring him for receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award and for being such “a tremendous inspiration and proving that you really can accomplish anything in life.”
A standout athlete at both the high school and college level, Doerr was left paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident while studying medicine at the University of Chicago. Despite this, not only did he go only to establish his own medical practice in plastic surgery (in addition to providing free clinics to the uninsured) but he also became a world-class sailor, being named the Paralympic Athlete of the Year in 2006 and a representative of the US Paralympic sailing team in the recent Beijng Olympics.
Addressing the students. Doerr spoke repeatedly of his love for and pride in MKA and of the lessons it taught him that have served him so well in life. Admitting that “there’s nothing wonderful about high school when you’re in it,” he described how his teachers provided him with the tools to manage and direct a crew, his experiences as a student taught him to interact with others, and his time as a high school athlete gave him the attitude and skills that helped him deal with adversity. “If you achieve something that wasn’t hard work,” noted Doerr; “you probably won’t feel it was much of an accomplishment.” He went on to describe his close relationships with his MKA classmates, whom he still sees on a regular basis, and of his excitement at being back in Weiss Auditorium.
After receiving a standing ovation for his accomplishments, Doerr was surprised by friend and NJ Assemblyman Scott Rumana '83 who presented him with a written proclamation from the floor of the Assembly, honoring him for receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award and for being such “a tremendous inspiration and proving that you really can accomplish anything in life.”