Gerry Whitted – Achiever and Overcomer

You can tell just by looking at Gerry Whitted’s muscular arms that he’s an athlete. But Whitted is more than just a Senior Citizen in excellent physical condition. He’s a double amputee who excelled in sports in high school and continues to be athletic despite his physical limitations.

Gerry was born into a middle-class family in 1956. His father was a mail carrier postal worker and his mother was a seamstress. He had four sisters.

He grew up in New Rochelle, New York and excelled in sports. Gerry won a number of accolades−too many to list, in fact−while in school. In junior high he was named Most Valuable Defensive Back. At New Rochelle High School he played football all four years and was captain of his team in his junior year. He also participated in track and field and set the indoor record in the long jump at 21’-10” in 1974. That same year, Gerry won the Louise Amonson Sportsmanship Award.

Admitting that he wasn’t a scholar and was just an average student, Gerry remarks, “My focus was on playing sports, chasing girls, and hanging out with my friends. I was immature and got away with a lot because I was an athlete.”

However, there two subjects he liked−math and poetry.

“Math challenged me and I liked the structure and logic of it. Poetry was my way of expressing myself. It was like a different kind of rhythm, almost like sports—where precision and creativity come together.

Upon graduating in 1974, he enrolled at the University of Bridgeport where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences and later a Master of Science degree in Counseling.

While in college his attitude towards academics changed.

“That is when I made the Dean’s List and co-founded Athletes for a Change to break the stereotype that all jocks are dumb, egotistical, and selfish.”

After working as an accountant at major corporations, such as IBM, he transitioned into a career as a social worker and mental health/substance abuse counselor in New York City.

Life was good and he had accomplished many of his goals and then in 1991 when he was in the prime of his life, tragedy struck. He developed an embolism and the doctors had to amputate his leg. Two years later a second embolism caused him to lose his other leg.

Gerry admits that he handled this “terribly.” But he didn’t wallow in misery or self-pity for long.

“I worked hard and kept my faith in God through prayer. Although I was angry, embarrassed, and suffered from low self-esteem, I never gave up.”

No doubt his wife, Gail, was supportive and with a family of six children to take care of, he knew he had to continue to work and also be a role model to them.

Gerry put his athleticism to good use. He played professional basketball for ten years in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association and competed in the wheelchair Olympics. Like in high school, Gerry competed in track and field events, winning first place in the Javelin Shotput in 2004 and he continued to rack up accolades. Last year he was inducted into the New Rochelle, New York Sports Hall of Fame.

When he retired, Gerry didn’t just sit around and bask in the glory of his previous years. He still competes in athletic events and is also an active volunteer in a number of organizations in Hernando County. He devotes numerous hours to the YMCA and was named Volunteer of the Year in 2021. Gerry has also been an advisor with Students Working Against Tobacco.

What sage advice does he have for people facing similar challenges and devastating life changes? Focus on what you can do, seek professional help, keep moving forward, always have faith and positivity, and lean on your support system.

At age sixty-eight, Gerry hasn’t slowed down. He has a number of goals. He wants to become a public speaker and inspire people who feel helpless and worthless that if he can do it, so can they. He would also like to write a book to reach those who are struggling and to let them know they’re not alone.

Gerry Whitted is a shining example of overcoming adversity and changing a negative experience into a positive one.