A lifetime of adversity hasn’t fazed Perris Jones.
Jones joined the University of Virginia football team as a walk-on before earning a scholarship and eventually becoming a team captain. But in 2023, during a game against the Louisville Cardinals, his life and career changed instantly.
Jones was temporarily paralyzed after the injury, but his grit and determination helped him walk out of the hospital just weeks later.
Now, Jones has entered a new chapter of his life as a public speaker. That journey recently brought him to Roanoke’s Teen Apprenticeship Program, where he shared his story and advice with students seeking inspiration.
“I believe that’s part of why I’m here, to continue telling the story of dealing with some of the same things these kids have dealt with and are dealing with,” Jones said. “To give them some sense of hope and inspiration, to let them know it’s not the end of something, but rather the beginning. If they can find that silver lining, things can turn out not so bad.”
The main message of Jones’ visit: Don’t let your career define who you are.
“You’re not just a football player,” Jones said. “That’s what you do, but it’s not who you are. You get caught up in the hype, the lights, scoring touchdowns and signing autographs, and you start thinking, ‘This is who I am.’ When it’s taken away from you, it forces you to sit with yourself and ask, ‘What other aspects of myself are there?’ In my experience, I really had to focus on that.”
Jones later returned to the University of Louisville — the site of his career-ending injury — where he is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational leadership and organizational development.
“What better thing to do than go back and take the next step of my life in a place where it all seemingly ended for me?” Jones said.