2.15.2011
Photo Gallery
FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University Student-Athlete Academic Services Department brought Dr. Michael Fowlin to campus for a performance last night presented to the Lancer student-athletes. Better known as Mykee, the actor, clinical psychologist and poet performed a one-man show that included four different characters and recitations of some powerful poems.
From Mark Rizzo, the Italian prisoner, to Octavious, a gay star football player at Rutgers; and Sabine, a high schooler in therapy, to Peter Gould, a humorous teen with Cerebral Palsy, Mykee left the Lancers laughing, speechless and in tears. This touching performace, "You Don't Know Me Until You Know Me," that spanned emotions high, low and everywhere in between, left all in attendance with something to think about.
Though he wore a shirt that said "Words Fail Me," Mykee eloquently used his to make sure each student-athlete knows how beautiful they are, how their actions affect others and that every life is worth saving. Being someone who battled depression for 20 years, and still does; someone who has ADD and was abused throughout childhood in and out of the home, Mykee comes up with his characters through life experiences in hopes of preventing suicide and helping out of depression those who are suffering.
He reminded us that there is a difference between what we are supposed to do and what we need to do. To reiterate this point, he referred to an article published in the New York Times titled, "Jumpers." The article highlighted a man who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge whose note left behind said he wouldn't jump if someone smiled at him on his way there. Something so seemingly simple, yet the hundreds of people he must have passed just did what they were supposed to do, rather than what needed to be done, which would have ultimately saved his life. With that, he posed a challenge: Smile and say hello to 10 people you don't normally talk to.
To view an excerpt from this performance and to learn more about Mykee, visit his Web site at
http://www.michaelfowlin.com/summary2.htm.
