“I was told to quit. I was told to sit on the bench. I was told sports “weren’t for me.” But the fight in me — the same fight I had from the day I was born — refused to quit.”

- Devin Davis

Devin Davis

College: Blinn College - Fall, 2025

His CDH Story: I am a true believer in the full circle of life. My journey with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia began before I ever entered the world—when doctors discovered my CDH during a 4-month ultrasound and confirmed it through a fetal MRI. That scan gave my family time to prepare for my delivery, surgeries, and the long fight ahead in the NICU. It’s the reason I’m here today, and it’s the reason I fight so hard for every goal I set.

Growing up, CDH shaped my life in ways that weren’t always easy. My lungs weren’t as strong as they should’ve been. My body was smaller. Years of tubes and feeding challenges meant I didn’t build strength like other kids. I wanted to play football, baseball, and basketball just like everyone else, but I was always the smallest, always the most winded, and too often the one people doubted. I was told to quit. I was told to sit on the bench. I was told sports “weren’t for me.” But the fight in me — the same fight I had from the day I was born — refused to quit.

I was the kid picked last in PE. The kid placed on the C team or B team. The kid who barely saw the field. But I also became the kid who showed up every single day, outworked everyone, and proved people wrong. By junior year, everything changed. I grew. I got stronger. And I earned my way onto the field as a starting defensive back on JV, before eventually making plays under the Friday night lights on the Varsity — not watching from the sideline. Baseball season came, and I tracked down balls in the outfield like my life depended on it. I proved that heart can take you where strength alone cannot.

My life began with doctors finding my CDH. My childhood was defined by overcoming it. And my future will be dedicated to using that experience to help others. This is my full circle — from the baby in the MRI machine to the radiology tech helping save the next child’s life. This is the story of a fighter, a believer, and someone determined to give back to the community that helped shape who I am today.

Hobbies and Interests: An outstanding high school athlete - lettering in both football and baseball - Devin stays active and willing to pick up just about any sport that comes his way. He remains an active member in his local community, never shying away from a challenge academically or athletically.

Professional Aspirations: Devin will radiation technology at Blinn College, hoping to eventually become a radiology technician - coming full circle back to help others like those before who helped his family identify his CDH diagnosis. He plans to remain active with charities like the Fore Hadley Foundation and American Heart Association.

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