“Bring That Heat” (I’m Different Remix)
Jeremie “Phenom 10-4″ Thomas: Family, Wheelchair Basketball and Rap
Jeremie Thomas is an 80′s baby, determined to make his own version of the “American Dream”. Born March 20,1989 in Pompano Beach FL to Mother Carlresay and Father Jimmy Thomas and growing up alongside his brothers Jimmy Jr. (older) and Ja’vance (younger), Jeremie had a close-knit squad of supporters early on. Even in the womb Jeremie found a love for music within the rhythm of his mom’s heart beat. He couldn’t wait to show the world his gift, so much that he left the womb 3 months premature.
Experience: 6 years
Classification: 2
Position: Point Guard
Hometown: Pompano Beach, FL
Birthday: March 20th
Nickname(s): “Moss”, “Phenom”, “10-4″
Diagnosed with spina bifida at birth, due to a car accident months before, Jeremie faced an uphill battle but always managed to rise above his challenges. Thanks to the motivation and support of his older brother Jimmy Jr. and God-brother Britt Poitier, Jeremie has made use of his God-given talents since the age of 6, when he received the alias “Phenom”.
Jeremie’s athletic ability, on the other hand, emerged from his experiences outside his grandmother’s house in the Liberty Park neighborhood where childhood friends would get together for a game of “street football”. Inspired by his favorite NFL football player Randy Moss, Phenom was never intimidated and used his ability to adapt in everyday activities.
Jeremie began to build interest in playing with the rest of his peers, until one day when he was picked to play on a friend’s team and scored the game-winning “hail mary” (long pass) touchdown. In awe to what they all witnessed, his friends cheered in excitement and chanted “WHEELCHAIR MOSS, WHEELCHAIR MOSS…”
At the age of 18, he saw UW-Whitewhater wheelchair basketball player Matt Scott, in Nike’s ‘No Excuses’ commercial and instantly wanted to play wheelchair basketball. Searching for a wheelchair basketball organization was a challenging task, but Jeremie eventually received a call from his case worker (Yanni) informing him that there was a team based out of Miami Springs called the Miami Heat Wheels.
After attending practice the former Coach, Ralph, saw potential in Jeremie’s ability to move in his chair with the ball, speed, toughness and aggressive defense. After playing (Division III) wheelchair basketball for 3 Years (and loving every minute of it), he was recruited by the OSU Spokes (Oklahoma State University), giving him the opportunity to take his game to the Collegiate level.
After playing 2 years in Oklahoma, Jeremie has returned to his home team, the Miami Heat Wheels with more experience and a competitive fire. His commitment to the team, his community and his career as an athlete and an artist all can be a source of inspiration for us as we address the challenges we face in our daily lives.
The Miami Heat Wheels Project aims to educate, motivate and inspire all audiences to work hard and rise above the challenges they face in their lives. If you enjoyed this article, you can find more inspiration and information on the Miami Heat Wheels Blog, or support our efforts by getting involved with the Miami Heat Wheels Project.
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