Garett Bolles inspirational story of living with ADHD and making it to the NFL
“I’ve been there when you cry yourself to sleep. I’ve been there when you’re bullied or you’re picked on or you fail a test and your classmates make fun of you or you don’t want to read in front of the class because you are afraid you aren’t going to say all the words correctly,” says Broncos starting left tackle, Garett Bolles.
Garett Bolles understands what it’s like for children who are struggling with Attention Deficit Hyper activity disorder or ADHD because he has been diagnosed with ADHD, ” So I had ADHD my entire life. I’m not afraid to hide it in. I want to raise awareness,” says Bolles
Bolles says having ADHD can make learning difficult, ” You know school was a lot harder for me. Having a learning disability because there was so much to do with reading, math and talking but with football it comes natural for me,” says Bolles
Sure comes naturally but learning a thick, intricate NFL playbook can be overwhelming for any player especially one who is dealing with ADHD, “I’m a huge note taker.
If you look in my playbook, you look in my notes it’s all color coded to what works for me. I know what I’m supposed to do and once I know what I’m supposed then I branch out and be like okay this is what the guard is going to do, this is what the center gonna do, the right guard, right tackle this is what the running back is going to do how the quarterback sees it so, I really just learn what I’m supposed to do and then I branch myself out slowly. Eventually it comes to me,” says Bolles.
Bolles is a champion for children with any disorder, and he believes a strong, loving support system will help them go a long way, ” Every parent out there that has a kid with that struggles you need love your kid and show them that you are there for them because they feel like nobody is there for them. Until you sit down with them and you give them a talk and there crying and you speak with them and you tell them I’m here for you no matter what I have you’re the best interest there gonna trust you because kid’s that struggle we don’t trust a lot of people,” says Bolles
Bolles has been able to live out his dreams despite having ADHD, ” That”s what people need to understand is we’re not dumb, we’re not stupid, don’t let other people tell you-you can’t do things go out there and work for it and I promise you, your dreams will come true,” says Bolles.
