Meet Mario Reed

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Having grown up in the North Memphis area, in less-than-desirable conditions, Mario Reed knows first-hand the importance of inner-city youth receiving nurturing exposure to increase the chances of more positive futures.

Throughout his childhood, Mario encountered opportunities that encouraged his focus in the areas of academics and social aptitude. He sought the wisdom of mentors who helped direct him along his journey. He dreamed of becoming a professional football player, but an injury during one of his high school games shifted the course of Mario’s life.

Armed with the advantages of effective mentorship and exposure to a variety of important life skills, Mario did not allow his life-changing situation to keep him from realizing the positive outcome he would still live to fulfill.

“Giving up and Giving in is Never an Option”


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Mario Reed Foundation

Board Members

Isaac Daniels

Music /Entertainment

With a foundation of knowledge gained from studying at the Baltimore City School for the Arts, The University of Memphis, and Berklee College of Music, Isaac Daniel officially began his journey as an engineer and producer as a teenager.


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James Griffin

President

With a foundation of knowledge gained from studying at the Baltimore City School for the Arts, The University of Memphis, and Berklee College of Music, Isaac Daniel officially began his journey as an engineer and producer as a teenager.

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Volunteer Opportunities

The Mario Reed Foundation is dedicated to fostering positive futures for inner-city youth and advocating for people with paralysis. We offer several volunteer opportunities, including roles in accounting, public relations, event booking, grant writing, and videography. If you’re interested in contributing, please send us an email to:  marioreedfoundation@gmail.com

Joey Nesbit

Vice President

Joey Nesbit, who is also a social studies teacher and athletic director, plays a significant role in supporting the foundation’s mission to create positive futures for young people in North Memphis.


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Mario Reed

Founder

Mario has proven his resilience time and time again by overcoming the odds, serving as a community leader, and sharing his story locally and nationally. In 2012, his book, Brothers: The Mario Reed Story, written by Perry Burrows, was published and chronicles his life before and after paralysis. Today, he serves as a mentor to youth and advocates for others that live with various disabilities.


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Support the Mario Reed Foundation

The Mario Reed Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your donation via PayPal or your major credit card is fully tax-deductible and will help promote a brighter future for inner-city youth. | Donate Now or scan the QR Code Below.

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Brothers: The Mario Reed Story

“Brothers: The Mario Reed Story” is a story about how my life took that dramatic change about 20 years ago. With that change, I started to grow intellectually, spiritually, socially, and psychologically in ways I could have never imagined. The journey took its first steps when I was a teenage athlete who had never thought much of my fallibility. In a matter of seconds, I was catapulted into an awareness of myself and others for which I was not prepared.
The conditions that most people have considered tragic, have led me to a deeper understanding of myself and a stronger sense of independence. This book and film will give you an inside view of my life’s journey growing up on the tough streets of North Memphis where poverty-stricken African Americans struggled daily. The focus of the book is that of brothers: Brothers from the athletic perspective; brothers from a primarily African American culture; brothers with different fathers; and, brothers who cross social and economic lines to mutually benefit in an inclusive society.


The View Within Mario Reed

If growing up in a rough neighborhood on the North side of Memphis, Tennessee in a single-parent household was not enough to test the character of Mario Reed, top that with him suffering a tragic accident that left him with paralysis at the age of fifteen. One will undoubtedly be inspired by one’s ability to push forward.

September 12, 1997, during a football game at Millington High School, Mario Reed was injured. In a split second, he began a journey of proving to himself and all those who cross his path that a life with paralysis is not a death sentence but an opportunity to have more reason to live and impact the lives of others. The View Within Mario Reed documentary commemorates the 20th anniversary of Mario’s injury and chronicles the events leading up to and after his accident beginning with his early childhood. It is a captivating journey that will leave everyone with a sense of faith, resilience, strength, and persistence in life. From interviews with family, former team members, mentors, and more, The View within Mario Reed will bring depth to his motto: “Once a job has begun, never leave it ’til it’s done. Be the labor great or small. Do it well or not at all.”