St. Margaret’s parents as well as Upper School and Middle School students were treated to an inspiring presentation by the first speaker in the 2024-2025 PTF Parent Up Speaker Series. Jake Olson visited St. Margaret’s last week to share his inspiring story on how he overcame retinoblastoma to become the first totally blind Division I college football player.

 

Mr. Olson shared his story of losing one eye in infancy to the rare cancer of the retina, followed by a childhood full of hospital stays amid several recurrences which eventually led to losing his other eye at the age of 12. Through the power of faith, the support of loved ones and the community, and his own perseverance, Mr. Olson moved forward and attained achievements nobody thought possible.

 

Wanting to be around the game of football, Mr. Olson worked diligently with coaches at his high school in Orange County to learn how to become a long snapper on the football team despite being totally blind. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the University of Southern California and walked on to the Trojan football team as a long snapper. He saw his first game action on Sept. 2, 2017, successfully snapping the ball during an extra-point attempt against Western Michigan to make college football history.

 

“I never wanted this to happen to me, but this is the hand I was dealt in life,” Mr. Olson told the parent audience. “It doesn’t mean I have to forfeit my hopes and dreams.”

 

Mr. Olson’s powerful message was mixed with humor and inspiration, expressing the importance of faith in his life and encouraging Tartans to not set limits and fight through adversity. After a morning talk and meet-and-greet with the parent community, Mr. Olson also met with Middle School and Upper School students, sharing one of his favorite quotes which resonated with many members of the St. Margaret’s community: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

 

The PTF Parent Up Speaker Series is an educational initiative generously funded by the PTF Grant Enrichment Program, bringing fascinating speakers with relevant topics to the St. Margaret’s community.