REED BARRETT’S ‘WHY’: SPEAKER MIXES MOTIVATION WITH MAGIC

by the Young Voices Staff

Reed Barrett’s dream was to be an aviator in the Air Force, but because of a heart condition he was told he would never be able to fly. This disappointment led Reed on a journey of self-discovery that he shared with the students at PCC in a motivational speech this past July 11th.

During a core course in the Petitt Atrium in the Science Center, Reed explained his life story. Joining the Air Force right out of high school, he had a great experience during basic training, making many new friends. When he would wake up in the morning, his legs would cramp up, and his bunkmate would massage them for him. This experience taught him about the importance of having a wingman. Being in the Air Force was everything Reed had hoped it would be, but three days before leaving for pilot training, doctors discovered that Reed had a dysplastic aortic valve--a heart defect--that disqualified him from flying. He went into a slump once he realized he would not be able to achieve his dream.

Looking for a new purpose in life, Reed found a renewed interest in magic, which had been an important part of his childhood. It had also been something he had shared with his dad, who passed away when Reed was twelve. Performing magic helped Reed overcome his funk; he attended a magic school which he called “the real life Hogwarts,” and eventually performed magic at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Hearing that Washington, DC was looking for pilots, Reed immediately became interested. He applied for the position along with 180 others, and he ended up being in the top ten after an interview over Skype. Not wanting to let his medical condition affect his chances of getting the job, he did research to find other pilots who had dysplastic aortic valves and found five who were still flying. This proved that he was capable of being a pilot even with his heart defect, and was eventually hired. He continues to fly today in-between his motivational speaking gigs.

His story was inspiring to the students of PCC; it showed that everyone has a purpose in life. Reed called it “having your why.” In addition, he performed a few magic tricks to show that he still had his magician skills at the ready. His slide told the audience to be “pause for mind-blowing magic” before each trick, and the crowd was not disappointed.

-with additional reporting by Abby Kneipfer