“We
appreciate Mike's contribution to our national effort to increase public awareness of epilepsy. The Foundation is
fortunate to work with someone who is willing to share his positive story and personal experiences.”
- Eric Hargis, President and
CEO, Epilepsy Foundation of America
"(Mike) is the consummate volunteer, working
to enhance the quality of life of all children by his personal expression of success through adversity." - Ann Marie Bezuyen, Director of Education, Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group
"Mighty Mike" Simmel is no stranger to adversity. Born in Glendale,
CA, Mike developed epilepsy at the age of 2. As his family moved to NJ, he struggled as a youth and was debilitated
to the point where he could not participate in "regular" activities. Mike could not do the simple things
other kids could do, like hop on one leg or skip, because of his condition. Young Mike could not eat
normal meals at the dinner table or with sharp utensils and even needed helped going to the bathroom, for fear that his head
would smack downward and he would get hurt, as a result of a violent seizure. In school, he was placed in special education
gym class because of his slow motor skills and development. Mike out grew his early "drop attacks" at
age 7 and his father gave him a basketball to see if his coordination could develop. It worked and Mike dreamed
big. Years later at age 16, when he was at a basketball camp, he had an epileptic seizure, his first major
grand mal attack in nearly 10 years. The camp nearly and unsuccessfully tried to have him removed. That
incident would change him forever, as he knew that one day he wanted to give back to other young people who felt
as isolated as he did in that situation. Mike continue to have epileptic seizures in high school in the
form of grand mal and petit mal seizures. Still he was a 3 year varsity starter, standout
point guard, captain and graduate of Don Bosco Prep High School, and was a starter and assist leader at the
prestigious Hun School of Princeton as a postgraduate. His bouts with seizures would continue through
college, which led him down a tough road where he would eventually finish and get his degree at SUNY Purchase, a 2 year
captain, assist and steals leader. Fortunately, despite dealing with epilepsy and bipolar disorder, which could
have forced him to walk away from the court all together, Mike has been able to overcome all obstacles and be quite
successful on the basketball circuit. He currently takes medications, is seizure free and a model picture
of healthy living. Mike currently has been a member of the world-famous entertainment basketball team, the Harlem Wizards, since 2001. This former NY Knicks ball-boy
has also been featured on FOX-TV, PBS, RNN-News, MSG and CBS-College Sports Network as well as other local TV news
shows. Radio appearances include Disney Radio,
ESPN Radio, Bloomberg Radio, and Disability Matters onvoiceamerica.com. Mike even performed live on NBC's It's Showtime at the Apollo, at the NBA's
Rhythm n' Rims Festival and at the 2009 NCAA Mens Final Four Celebration. He also performs one-man halftime shows and is a leading speaker at summer basketball camps across the
country speaking at over 450 camps throughout the past 10 years. Mike is also a national spokesperson
for Epilepsy Awareness speaking at Epilepsy Foundation events special camps all across the country. This includes, each
year speaking and performing to youth and families from across the country in Washington, D.C. at the National Kids Speak Up and Public Policy Institute. Mike was also a national spokesman for Eisai Pharmaceuticals from 2004-06 for their Changing Faces of Epilepsy Campaign, and in
2006-07 was a national spokesman for Abbott
Laboratories pharmaceutical company on childhood
epilepsy. In 2005, he created Bounce Out
the Stigma to empower young people, especially
with special needs, educate, and promote healthy lifestyle choices, and it continues to grow successfully into a
terrific program through its camps, workshops, performance demonstrations and school assemblies. On August 14, 2007, Mike was honored and given the Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished
Service Award by Exceptional ParentMagazine for his contributions to the special needs community during the annual Disability Awareness Night at Yankee Stadium. On May 2009, he was honored by the Governor of New
Jersey at a special luncheon for his work with excellence in the advancement of recreation and people having
disabilties, with the Alvin Slootsky Award. During a ceremony in September he was honored with the prestigious
TOYA Award, as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans, by the United States Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce). And most
recently in November 2009, Mike was given the Connecticut Outstanding Young American Award by the Connnecticut Jaycees
for his work on and off the basketball court. For more background information on "Mighty Mike" Simmel, including news articles and scheduling, check
out his comprehensive website mightymikebasketball.com.
The Bounce
Out the Stigma™ program is the brain-child of "Mighty Mike" Simmel, hoping to give all young people and
adults an opportunity to bounce out their adversity toward a better tomorrow!
Mike being honored at Yankee Stadium during Disability Awareness Night
July 2009, at the Epilepsy Society of Southern New York Golf Outing Presenting Keynote Speech About
Bounce Out the Stigma
