Calif. man overcomes autism to pursue dream job
Jamaal Street delivers the play-by-play for a San Pedro High School football game. / CBS Los Angeles
(CBS News) When Jamaal Street was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, the news dealt an emotional blow to his mother.
"There were a lot of tears, a lot of tears, but we prayed a lot," Street's mother Lydia Haley told CBS Los Angeles. "My faith is in God. We prayed a lot once we found out."
But Haley refused to allow the diagnosis to negatively impact her son's future. Today, Street, now 33, is putting his distinctive voice and encyclopedic knowledge of sports to good use as an announcer for games at San Pedro High School in Los Angeles.
Street was bitten by the broadcasting bug as a child when he heard Lakers sportscaster Chick Hearn on the radio.
"I can't remember the full details that day, but I do remember when I turned on the radio, when I first heard Chick, game two of the 1985 NBA...'84 Finals I should say, when the Celtics came back to win in overtime...that's when I first fell in love with it," Street said.
Street, who as a kid would turn the television volume down to voice a play-by-play, was named San Pedro High's public address announcer in 1996, when he was a junior at the school.
In 2001, he was hired by Cox Cable to do his first play-by-play game.
"I felt it was an uplifting experience for me because I got to do it where finally people would be watching it on TV. Even though it was just for the local community, I felt it was like being in Hollywood," Street said.
Haley, now a single parent of five who works at San Pedro High as a special education teacher's aide, said of her son, "He knows he's my hero."
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Powerball frenzy locks down most possible number combos
- Crash in small Va. town injures dozens during parade
- Seven-time lottery winner shares secret to winning Powerball
- Probe begins after Conn. commuter trains collide
- Texas tornado survivors start to return home
- O.J. Simpson's ex-lawyer contradicts his testimony on guns
- Why marry? Three generations tell their wedding stories
- Official: Broken rail eyed in Conn. train crash
Jamaal will probably not outlive the disability until a cure has been found.
In an effort to clarify his story, he Has beat the odds by LIVING with this
syndrome one day at a time. As his mother, I need people to know that
children/adults with disabilities should be given the chance to explore things
that THEY like. I was blessed to recognize Jamaal's gifts while he was young
and focused on giving him EVERY opportunity made available to me, to see
that he could excel at what I saw he was good at doing. Everybody can do
something! Children/adults with special needs need positive encouragement
in order to feel they CAN do something. Our expectations sometimes place limits
on their capabilities. In my home we don't say "I can't", I encourage, "you can try!"
Little to us means alot to them. Jamaal is a wonderful young man whom I am proud
to say I'm his mom! FYI: overcoming autism was their words, not mine.
for more of "Our" story email me@ jamaalsmomlydia@aol.com
Jamaal will probably not outlive the disability until a cure has been found.
In an effort to clarify his story, he Has beat the odds by LIVING with this
syndrome one day at a time. As his mother, I need people to know that
children/adults with disabilities should be given the chance to explore things
that THEY like. I was blessed to recognize Jamaal's gifts while he was young
and focused on giving him EVERY opportunity made available to me, to see
that he could excel at what I saw he was good at doing. Everybody can do
something! Children/adults with special needs need positive encouragement
in order to feel they CAN do something. Our expectations sometimes place limits
on their capabilities. In my home we don't say "I can't", I encourage, "you can try!"
Little to us means alot to them. Jamaal is a wonderful young man whom I am proud
to say I'm his mom! FYI: overcoming autism was their words, not mine.
That being said, good for him! One of the great things about Aspergers/autism is that many people on the spectrum have special interests that they can channel into fulfilling careers.
Jamaal will probably not outlive the disability until a cure has been found.
In an effort to clarify his story, he Has beat the odds by LIVING with this
syndrome one day at a time. As his mother, I need people to know that
children/adults with disabilities should be given the chance to explore things
that THEY like. I was blessed to recognize Jamaal's gifts while he was young
and focused on giving him EVERY opportunity made available to me, to see
that he could excel at what I saw he was good at doing. Everybody can do
something! Children/adults with special needs need positive encouragement
in order to feel they CAN do something. Our expectations sometimes place limits
on their capabilities. In my home we don't say "I can't", I encourage, "you can try!"
Little to us means alot to them. Jamaal is a wonderful young man whom I am proud
to say I'm his mom! FYI: overcoming autism was their words, not mine.
to come again at an issue, or "problem", this time from ABOVE.
NOT: "endure", "persevere", or "suffer along"...