The Amazing Patrick Hughes
Patrick Hughes is a young man at Univ. of Louisville who was born blind and
crippled and yet now plays the piano beautifully as well as "marches" in the
Louisville marching band. This was a piece done during ESPN College Game-day on
12/2/2006.
Patrick Hughes is a remarkable young man who was born without eyes and without
the ability to fully straighten his arms and legs, making him unable to walk.
Additionally, two steel rods were surgically attached to Patrick's spine to
correct scoliosis. Despite circumstances that seem overwhelming to you and me,
Patrick has overcome these physical issues to excel as a musician and student.
Patrick started playing the piano at the age of only nine months, and also plays
the trumpet and sings. He even participates in the University of Louisville
School of Music Marching and Pep Bands with help from his father (Patrick John
Hughes), who tirelessly maneuvers his wheel chair through the formations with
the other 220+ members of the Cardinal Marching Band. Patrick is usually a
straight 'A' student, having received only 5 'B's' since 6th grade up to and
including his freshman year of college.
A virtuoso pianist, vocalist and trumpet player, Patrick has won or finished
very high in numerous competitions, as well as winning awards acknowledging the
circumstances he has overcome to achieve these heights. He has been featured on
ESPN, ABC-TV, Oprah, CBS-TV, FOX-TV, CSTV, People Magazine, Sports Illustrated,
and many, many others. Patrick has made appearances from California to Chicago
to New York and Miami and countless points in between, even performing in South
America and Europe.