Service

Michael Bowbliss overcame Michael Bowbliss overcame debilitating injury and achieved debilitating injury and achieved his life-long dream of becoming his life-long dream of becoming a teacher, coach and mentor. a teacher, coach and mentor. Persistance Persistance

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Michael Bowbliss began his college career in 1993 on a wrestling scholarship with plans of being a teacher and a coach. However, he dropped out after about a year. He later married, started a family. He became an operations manager at an internet-based pest control supply company and coached a high school wrestling team. In 2009, Bowbliss suffered an injury that caused disabling nerve damage and constant, chronic pain in his right arm. After several surgeries and lawsuits, his personal and professional life stalled. Bowbliss said Dr. Yvonne Hefner, associate professor of special education, and Dr. Mary Kelly, associate professor of education, were especially supportive and shared valuable advice during his journey, particularly about aspects of special education, his chosen focus for his degree. “I’ve never had the desire to be rich, but each time I connect with an athlete, a student, or a person in the community, I gain something,” he said. “Those experiences make me feel rich and give me the inspiration to succeed.”

Bowbliss

He took time off in 2013 because he could no longer manage his pain. During this time, he directed and coached a youth wrestling program. It was a struggle, but he persisted. “My doctors helped me gain control of my pain and my mind, but it was a long, hard fight,” Bowbliss said. “I swore to live a full life that included getting my degree in education. I knew I could get off disability and lead a life enriched by service and community.” In 2017, he enrolled at GGC. He said the college opened a world of opportunity while allowing him the flexibility to be a father, student and coach.

“I have tremendous respect for my professors – they cared and understood that being 45 with three teenage kids was demanding,” he said. “With coaching high school and middle school sports teams, and managing a pain condition requiring time for treatments, it could be overwhelming.” In addition to his professors, Bowbliss met teens while coaching who deeply touched his life. One became a surrogate family member. “Here was this awesome, young athlete with an amazing smile and attitude, yet he had struggles,” said Bowbliss. “It made me look in the mirror and say ‘if he can do it, you can do it, too.’” That student now plays football at West Point and visits Bowbliss and his children when he comes home to Atlanta.

Bowbliss graduated in 2020 and was delighted to secure a position to teach special education and coach wrestling and football at Mountain View High School, where he had gone to school. “I have always wanted to teach and coach, and the only way to achieve that was to earn a degree,” Bowbliss said. “This degree puts an exclamation point on one life that is behind me and opens the door to my new one. It also demonstrates to my kids that I never gave up.”

“ I swore to live a full life that included getting my degree in education. I knew I could get off disability and lead a life enriched by service and community.”