MMA and UFC Fighter Matt Hamill, Who Grew Up Deaf, is Coming to Speak at ESU on Jan. 24

Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Matt Hamill will tell his inspirational story at East Stroudsburg University on Friday, January 24, at 7 p.m. in Abeloff Center for Performing Arts. Hamill grew up deaf and overcame many obstacles to accomplish what he has.  His story will be motivating to students, athletes and anybody looking to overcome adversity.  He will communicate using sign and spoken language. 

Hamill, who was a contestant in the third season of the Ultimate Fighter reality television show, currently fights in the UFC and owns a record of 10-4 in UFC. He had a 12-4 mark as an MMA competitor. In 1997, he won two gold medals in the Deaflympics for Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling. Later, in 2001, he won gold for freestyle and silver for Greco-Roman.  He was a three-time NCAA Division III Wrestling National Champion from 1997-1999 while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology. Three years ago, the movie, “The Hammer,” was released about his remarkable journey and the inspiration he provides for those trying to overcome adversity. 

The event, which is being sponsored by the Sign Language Club, athletic training, the speech-language pathology department and the wrestling team, is open to the public. For those with an ESU e-card, it is free. Otherwise, tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. There will be photograph and autograph opportunities following his talk. 

For more information, please contact Susan Dillmuth-Miller, Au.D., assistant professor in ESU’s speech-language pathology department at 570-422-3684 or sdmiller@esu.edu.

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