Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler, a developmental disorder that has a variety of debilitating symptoms, Tre’Dasia Tucker wasn’t supposed to live past two months old. Her brother, Boston Celtics point guard Terry Rozier, wouldn’t be born for another two years.
Yet, Tre’Dasia has miraculously defied the odds. In a terrific feature by The Boston Globe‘s Adams Himmelsbach, he notes how Rozier’s sister was born prematurely and weighed just 2 pounds and 14 ounces as a newborn, unable to breathe without the assistance of a ventilator. Tre’Dasia was hospitalized for months and was already 1 before before her diagnosis.
Still, her family would be confident, supportive and take all measures needed to make sure that she could live as happily and with as few symptoms from the disorder ailing her as possible. Ultimately, Tre’Dasia has had seven procedures completed, including a tendon-release surgeries on her arm to present her with more range of motion.
Nowadays, Tre’Dasia is finishing up her Bachelor’s Degree at Cleveland State University and working as a booking agent for Marriott in the meantime. It’s truly inspirational how Tre’Dasia has overcome the odds to not just survive but to be productive and thriving.
As you might expect, Rozier sees it the same way, telling FS1’s Kristine Leahy that his sister is his biggest inspiration.
“Just to see how strong she is. Just to see her everyday… To be around everybody who you would say is ‘normal’…Just to see how strong she is, you know, has always been motivation for me…”
“She’s always just texting me and giving me words of encouragement,” Rozier said. “She’ll tell me what I need to do better and stuff like that too. So, you know, I respect that,” he finished, chuckling lightly at a likely memory of one of those texts.
Rozier, like many other men in the league (teammates included) comes from a background fraught with dangers from unsafe environments and has a hardy demeanor that reflects the rigors that he’s been through. Yet, like many of those men he has a soft spot for the warrior-like women in his life and as he’s gotten older and his lifestyle has improved, he’s constantly been able to show that he’s as kind as he is tough.
He and his sister Tre’Dasia have a heartwarming relationship and it’s only made better by the fact that he looks at her trials and tribulations as inspiration. Especially as, despite the success that they’ve both had in their young lives, neither have reached their primes just yet.
At this rate, there’s far more blessings on the horizon for Tre’Dasia and Rozier, two individuals whose resolve has been their most important characteristic to date.
