After the accident, Fred Aryee never wanted to leave his apartment. Fred had a successful career as an assistant marine engineer in San Diego, but an accident at sea resulted in the amputation of his right arm. Disability led to depression, which led to job loss and divorce. Because his wife worked full-time, Fred gained primary custody of their toddler daughter, Mary.
While playing in the park with Mary one day, Fred noticed some folks playing tennis. He thought he’d hit a few balls to work out his one arm. With a thrift store racket and a few balls, Fred began playing tennis in the park each day. He became quite good.
Fred noticed that the park was overrun by drug dealers. These men would hire small children to peddle drugs for them. To keep the kids out of the drug trade, Fred offered them tennis lessons. Soon, he had a small army of kids taking regular lessons. The drug dealers gave up on the park and moved on. The San Diego Parks and Recreation department took notice of Fred’s good work and hired him to teach kids full-time.
Fred Aryee returned to college to get a degree in sociology, he joined a church and began volunteering to help others with disabilities. And in 1999, Fred was honored with the Community Service Award from the San Diego District Tennis Association.
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“Hero on the Court,” by Fred Aryee, Guideposts, July 2000, pp. 44-47.