Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 6431 msfocusmagazine.org Beyond the Court and Beyond MS By Marianly H. Primmer Eric Pierce grips the tennis ball in his hand, throws it and swings his tennis racket, sending the ball across the court with a menacing stroke. “It just feels like home,” Eric said. He has been playing tennis for 20 years, but he plays his own way. The 57-year-old was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis at 32. After a while, he began using a cane, then forearm crutches. Five years after his diagnosis, he was buying his first wheelchair to use on occasion. At the time of his diagnosis, he was devastated. Eric admitted he cried. “I still do. I’m trying not to right now. It’s painful.” He gave up a lucrative career at an international technology company. “I loved it, but MS got in the way.” In fact, MS affected every part of Eric’s life. He said he had to redefine what he believed made him a man. “In my mind, a man was me at 6-foot-2, strong, athletic, riding motorcycles, a few tattoos, being a good father and a good husband,” Eric said. Eventually, using a wheelchair became the only way he could move. But he learned to adapt. The person who sold him his first wheelchair told him about a local tennis program for people with disabilities. Despite having never played tennis before, Eric joined the program. He found a new hobby and a new outlook. “I felt like my world opened up. The MS diagnosis was not the end of my life; it was actually almost the beginning.” His new hobby also gave him a renewed passion for life. “I started meeting people that were positive and upbeat, and they were in wheelchairs. So, if they can be happy, I can be happy. When I first started playing tennis, those guys are the ones who inspired me to change my attitude and think of what I can do, not what I can’t do,” he said. Today, the 57-year-old practices everyweek through the Adaptive Sports and Adventures Program (ASAP) in Charlotte, N.C. Now, Eric is the one who helps new players feel at home, “Suddenly I’m encouraging people, and it makes me feel good. I feel like I can give back now.” ASAP coordinatorJennifer Moore believes Eric is integral to the fellowship of the program, “He has always come with such a dynamic personality. What’s most special about Eric is what he brings out in other people.” Life With MS