After sustaining a spinal cord injury nearly ten years ago that changed his life, a former All-American track star turned hero doctor Feranmi Okanlami has devoted his life to helping others by working with adaptive athletes.
Hero doctor receives $1 million surprise for his work empowering people with impairments
After suffering a life-changing spinal cord injury over ten years ago, a former All-American track star turned hero doctor has committed his life to assist others by working with adaptive athletes.
Despite suffering a catastrophic setback in 2013 that would have rendered most people unable to walk or stand, Feranmi Okanlami, the director of Disability Services and Adaptive Sports at the University of Michigan, has always strived for excellence and overcomes obstacles one step at a time.
“Feranmi has always been a child that made us proud,” Okanlami’s mother Bunmi told “Good Morning America.” “It wasn’t just that he was good at school, but that he would get the awards for personality — he was an all-American athlete.”
“He was getting close to achieving everything that he dreamt that he would be,” she continued. “He had gone to medical school, he got into a top orthopedic residence surgery program like he wanted to and he was living his best life.”
Nigerian-American Stanford graduate
The Nigerian-American Stanford graduate, who was born and raised in Indiana, narrowly avoided having his aspirations dashed in 2013 when he sustained a spinal cord injury during a pool party.
“His cervical injury was high enough that most people who have that are not expected to ever be able to walk or stand,” his mother explained. “They will say, ‘Oh, you are quadriplegic, you can’t do that.’ And he will say, ‘why can’t we try?’ And so at every stage throughout his rehab, he continued to push.”
Okanlami finally graduated from medical school and has since carried on altering the perception of those who live with disabilities. He created the slogan “disabusing disability” and began with physical therapy and exercise.
Feranmi Okanlami Age, Family, and Early Life
Feranmi Okanlami is an American citizen who seems to be of black ethnicity. Very less regarding his early life is known, thus his exact date of birth, and the zodiac he holds. His parents, Dr. Olufemi Oyetunji Okanlami and Dr. Olubunmi Abosede Okanlami are both doctors. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria.
When he was three years old, his family emigrated to America. His sister is two to three years older than him and is his elder sibling. When the family first immigrated to America, they first resided in Maryland.
His parents were doctors who enrolled at Howard University to complete their residency training again before completing their post-graduate work at Georgetown and John Hopkins.
His sister and he then enrolled in a South Bend, California, private school after his family moved to Indiana. The most significant gift his parents gave him and his sister was education, he has stated numerous times.
Feranmi Okanlami Career, What is his Profession?
A former All-American track star turned hero doctor has dedicated his life to helping others by working with adaptive athletes after experiencing a life-altering spinal cord injury himself more than ten years ago.
Feranmi Okanlami, the director of Disability Services and Adaptive Sports at the University of Michigan, overcame a tragic setback in 2013 that would have rendered most people unable to walk or stand, but she has always strived for excellence and takes each challenge one step at a time.
The Nigerian-American Stanford graduate, who was born and raised in Indiana, narrowly avoided having his aspirations dashed in 2013 when he sustained a spinal cord injury during a pool party.
On Thursday morning “Good Morning America” surprised Okanlami on campus in Ann Arbor with $1 million from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, which is committed to changing the world for those living with spinal cord injuries and the definition of what is possible.
“This is not my thing, this is our thing,” Okanlami said surrounded by colleagues, family, and friends. “The fact that they were able to orchestrate this somehow amidst all of the other things they’ve been doing — through COVID, through family deaths, through injury, through sickness — so the emotion is about every single person here and those that aren’t here, those at Michigan, those at other institutions and in another country, those on other continents with and without disabilities that have supported us to get to where we are.”
He added, “It is beyond words.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, noting that it had helped “not just our program but people with spinal cord injuries from all over the place” with their injuries.
Which school and college did she go to?
Feranmi Okanlai is a graduate of Stanford University.
He ran track and field, was the team captain for his final two seasons at Stanford University and Deerfield Academy, and was named an Academy All-American.
After graduating from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, he matched into Yale’s orthopedic surgery program. At the beginning of his third year, he suffered a spinal cord injury that rendered him paraplegic from the chest down.
Dr. Fernami Okanlami Net Worth, How much does he earn?
The net worth and salary information for Fernami Okanlami are not publicly available. We can assume that he earns enough money to comfortably sustain himself and his family.
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Approximately $199,571 is what a doctor makes every year, according to Glassdoor. Therefore, Dr. Feranmi Okanlami must have amassed a respectable sum of net worth throughout the course of his work as a doctor and physician.
He pursued a Master’s degree in Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship at The University of Dame after earning his MD from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Fernami Okanlami Wife, What is his relationship?
Dr. Fernami Okanlami is married and has a son named Alex. His wife is Marielle.
Is he available on any social media platforms?
Dr. Fernami is on Instagram as @okanlami with 4K+ followers.
FAQs about Dr. Fernami Okanlami.
Dr. Fernami Okanlami is a doctor who after sustaining a spinal cord injury nearly ten years ago that changed his life, has devoted his life to helping others by working with adaptive athletes.
Rye age of Fernami Okanlami is unknown.
Hero doctor, Fernami Okanlami received a $1 million surprise for his work empowering people with disabilities.
There is no publicly accessible information on Fernami Okanlami’s salary or net worth. We can suppose that he makes enough money to support his family and himself comfortably.
According to Glassdoor, a doctor’s yearly salary is about $199,571. Therefore, over the course of his career as a doctor and physician, Dr. Feranmi Okanlami must have accumulated a fair amount of net worth.
The exact date of birth of Dr. Feranmi Okanlami isn’t disclosed. He was apparently born in Indiana.
Dr. Feranmi is active on Instagram as @okanlami with 4K+ followers.
Dr. Feranmi is happily married to his wife Marielle and they have a son named Alex.
Physical Appearance of Feranmi Okanlami’s Height, Weight
| Height | Feet: N / A Meter: N / A Centimeter: N / A |
| Weight | Kilogram: N / A Pounds: N / A |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Body type | Fit |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Interesting facts about Feranmi Okanlami’s which should be known
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Zodiac Sign | N / A |
| Net Worth | N / A |
| Single/ In a relationship/Married/Divorced | Married |
| Current Spouse | Marielle Okanlami |
| Children | Alex Okanlami |
