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“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
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"(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
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"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 on voiceamerica.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 Parent Magazine 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 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. Most recently, in September 2011, a childrens book based upon the life of Mike Simmel entitled Mighty Mike Bounces Back was published and released both online and in bookstores by Magination
Press, an imprint of the American Psychological Association. 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, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, 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
Enjoy a few videos of Mike Discussing his Book "Mighty Mike Bounces
Back" and a Short Half Time Clip
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