‘Greatest gift’ makes teen unstoppable
Paralyzed in wreck at 9, he’s headed to Alabama to play Division I basketball
Shattering glass and crunching metal awoke 9year-old Peter Berry to a horrifying scene in July 2011 on a West Texas highway.
Peter, at first, hoped it was a nightmare — it wasn’t.
His parents were dead in the front seats of their wrecked car. Peter and his brother suffered spine injuries that would paralyze them. The boys and their sister, also a survivor of the crash, were orphaned. The tragedy that stunned the family’s Houston hometown upended Peter’s life as he knew it. But now, at 18, he said he’s grateful for what he’s learned from it.
“I consider myself to be lucky to learn the lessons that I have from the accident and through meeting people as a result of that,” Peter said. “It’s been one of the greatest gifts that I’ve been given in life.”
Peter is now one of the best wheelchair basketball players in the United States. On Wednesday, he signed a letter of intent to accept a full-ride scholarship to attend the University of Alabama and play Division 1 basketball. The big moment — witnessed by his friends and loved ones at the Emery/Weiner School — was the culmination of nearly a decade of a family overcoming unimaginable obstacles together.
Peter’s parents, Josh and
Berry, were killed instantly in the head-on collision as they traveled back to Houston from a vacation to Colorado.
Peter, his 8-year-old brother Aaron, and his 6year-old sister, Willa, were taken in by their aunt and uncle after the accident. Matt and Simone Berry already had two children of their own, Misha, 8 at the time, and Noah, then 9. Together, the family undertook the daunting task of rebuilding the children’s lives.
The lessons learned through years of physical therapy and coping with trauma molded Peter into a young man his teachers describe as an embodiment of strength of character, generosity and an inspiration.
“They had to grow up very, very fast,” Simone Berry said of the five children. “What they experienced at a young age, I think has really shaped them into who they are today.”
Her husband said they were filled with a range of emotions, knowing how far their family has come.
“Being involved in it, you can take it for granted and don’t look at all the little successes,” he said. “But looking back on it, you realize, oh my gosh, we’re here.”
Since he took up the sport, Peter has succeeded. He’s won three national championships for his team, the TIRR Memorial Hermann Hotwheels.
“He’s the best player in America, unquestionably,” said Trice Ham, coach of the team. “He’s averaging over 20 points a game. He’s shooting threes at higher than 40 percent — a clip that would make all the Rockets jealous.”
Peter is ranked the No. 1 wheelchair basketball recruit in the U.S.He was invited to try out for Team USA’s 2019-20 season and was the National Wheelchair Basketball League’s Most Valuable Player in 2018.
His accomplishments on the court are only shadowed by his work off the court, Ham said. Peter has had an “immeasurable impact” on the adaptive sports community in Houston, the coach said.
“Adaptive athletics is still in a phase where we are fighting for a chance to show off what incredible athletes people like Peter Berry are,” Ham said. “You can be a great athlete regardless of whether you have a physical disability. Peter has really grasped this concept.”
He’s also worked along with his family’s nonprofit One Life is Enough to educate people about the dangers of distracted driving.
“Your grit, perseverance, work ethic, compassion, kindness and love for others are gonna let you do anything you want in this world,” Ham told Peter. “And I can’t wait to see you change it.”
Noah Berry, Peter’s cousin of the same age, also signed a letter of intent to be a college athlete at the ceremony Wednesday. He’s a Top 100 five-star tennis recruit and has competed at the professional level for the past year. He will play Division 1 Tennis at California Polytechnic University of San Luis Obispo.
Growing up with his cousins and overcoming their struggles together has made him the man he is today, Noah said.
“One of the biggest things I’ve taken away from our situation is that if you want to do something right, you can’t do it alone,” Noah said. “You have to have peoRobin ple around you supporting you. None of us could be where we are today without the help of so many people. It’s been a huge part of shaping who we are today.”
The cousins were described by their teachers as “brothers, who aren’t really brothers” who drive each other to succeed.
The entire Berry family, including Aaron, now 17, and Willa, 16, basked in the happy moment culminated by years of hard work.
“This day means everything to me,” Peter said. “There’s gonna be good times and there’s gonna be bad times. The biggest thing is having someone there. It’s been great having a support like my family.”