Jordan Thomas, former McCallie golfer, practices at Bear Trace Golf Course for a potential run at the 2016 Paralympics in this 2012 file photo.The Golf Channel is scheduled to air a segment featuring the story of former McCallie golfer Jordan Thomas during the show In 'Play with Jimmy Roberts' on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.
Thomas, who recently graduated from Rollins College, had his legs amputated after a boating accident as a 16-year-old. He built the Jordan Thomas Foundation which provides prosthetics to children whose family cannot afford the new limbs.
"There's nothing about him that provokes an 'Oh my' sympathetic response," said Golf Channel reporter Rich Lerner, who played pick-up basketball with Thomas a few weeks ago.
"Jordan walks in and he's got a cap on backwards, and he's got his sneakers -- and his prosthetics," Lerner said. "He was one of the guys that day. But he left an impact on that gym."
Thomas was named a CNN Hero in 2009 for his work with the JTF which has impacted the lives of handicapped children from Haiti to Nepal.
The segment, which producer Ryan Griffiths said will open the show, is about 10 minutes long. It updates a few noteworthy items from a very similar segment the Golf Channel aired on its retired show 'Golf in America.'
"We changed a little of the copy at the top to focus on what amputees face," Griffiths said. "The whole reason for running it again is that it ran during a low time for us in December, and it's a very compelling story that I've pushed to be re-inserted into the lineup."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6484.