PHOENIX—One thing can be said for certain about the young man I had the privilege of speaking with for this column: Adonis Watt takes pride in setting his own expectations.
Born and raised in the Phoenix Valley, Watt grew up as the middle child of two parents, with an older brother and younger sister. According to Watt, his life began to take a dramatic turn at the age of 5 that would ultimately have a longstanding impact on his journey through life.
“I grew up in an athletic family, my big brother played football all through college, and my mom played college basketball at the University of Phoenix,” Watt said.
Adonis also grew up believing that he’d one day be a professional athlete, either in the NFL or as an Olympian — life goals that have not been altered for the young man. However, following an afternoon swim during his childhood, Adonis and his parents began to recognize that there were potentially some ongoing issues with his vision.
Watt’s parents’ concern grew over time, and following an incident where Watt mentioned he had walked directly into a doorknob, their suspicions led them to seek professional guidance.
Watt was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma – a disease that prevents proper fluid drainage from the eye. Though the symptoms were much less severe initially, the condition progressed, rendering him completely blind.
“I was 5 at the time,” Watt said. “So I didn’t really know any better, I know I can’t see, but I’m still young so I’m not really understanding the magnitude of it.”
Between the ages of 5 and 7 years old, Watt received twelve bilateral eye surgeries in hopes of restoring his vision. Those efforts were unfortunately unsuccessful.
Now in his junior year in the ASU Sports Journalism program, Adonis is pursuing his sports dream through a different route, though he still has aspirations of becoming a professional athlete.
Watt will continue to pursue this endeavor, but in the meantime, he eagerly looks forward to one day emulating the profound sports journalism careers of some of his idols; including the likes of Shannon Sharpe, Stephen A. Smith and Chris Broussard.
Watt described his decision to enter a Sports Journalism program as his “Plan B,” as he continues to seek opportunities to pursue his passion in professional sports. With the continued development of technologies that assist persons with disabilities in competitive sports, Watt has decided not to count himself out just yet.
When asked about this inflection point in his life, Watt responded with optimism. “I don’t think my mindset or mentality has ever changed or deviated from where I’m trying to get to,” he said.
While many would have faltered due to this major setback, Watt has chosen to see it as a unique challenge and opportunity — even as a blessing.
Taking a step back and looking at myself through this lens, I struggle to imagine the depth of courage it must take to continue to pursue such lofty goals despite these setbacks. His positive outlook and optimistic perspective on life are truly remarkable.
Surpassing his passion for sports is Watt’s desire to help others. He hopes to be a symbol of hope for those in similar situations and facing similar obstacles.
“I don’t know how to put this, but I’m real passionate about people, and I’m trying to reach people and show people that you can make something for yourself,” Watt said. “You can do something with your life.”
