Inspiration speaker and former UT Vols football player Inky Johnson addresses the United Way of Bradley County 2014 campaign luncheon at Whirlpool in Cleveland, Tenn.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – More than 300 volunteers and supporters were asked to be a blessing for someone else in everything they do during the United Way of Bradley County’s 2014 campaign kickoff Friday.
During the event at Whirlpool Corp.’s Cleveland division, the audience responded with applause and murmurs of understanding while listening to inspirational speaker Inquoris “Inky” Johnson, a former University of Tennessee football player.
“Somebody is depending on you,” Johnson said. “You are the source of somebody’s hope.”
He talked about how a life-threatening accident on the playing field in 2006 left him with a paralyzed right arm and ended his dreams of a sports career.
However, that challenge did not mean an end to his life or his commitment to serving others, said Johnson, who described a life rooted in the toughest area of Atlanta’s inner city.