Peter Berry (basketball)

Peter Berry (born October 30, 2001) is an American wheelchair basketball player and social media personality. After a spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident at age nine, he began competing in wheelchair basketball for TIRR Memorial Hermann. In 2019, he accepted an athletic scholarship to play for the University of Alabama's wheelchair basketball team,[lower-alpha 1] where he began in 2020. Berry is also known for his social media presence, with over 5,000 followers and 650 thousand likes on TikTok. In 2022, it was revealed that he is training for the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[lower-alpha 2]

This article is about the American wheelchair basketball player. For other people with the same name, see Peter Berry (disambiguation).
Peter Berry
Born (2001-10-31) October 31, 2001[1]
Houston, Texas, U.S.
EducationThe Emery/Weiner School
University of Alabama[2]
Occupations
  • Wheelchair basketball player
  • social media personality
Years active2011–present

Early life

Berry was raised in Houston, Texas with his younger brother and sister by parents Joshua and Robin Berry. When he was nine years old, he and his family were involved in a motor vehicle collision when a distracted driver collided head-on with their vehicle, resulting in the death of his parents, and he and younger brother Aaron becoming paralyzed from the waist down and confined to wheelchairs.[3] After the story was published by several news outlets across the United States, singer Justin Bieber launched the "Show Your Hearts" campaign aimed at raising funds for Berry's family.[4][5] After his accident, Berry and his two siblings were taken in by their aunt and uncle, and resided in the Bellaire area. He attended the Emery/Weiner School.

Career

Basketball

While recovering from his injury, Berry started competing in wheelchair basketball, where he quickly became one of the best young wheelchair athletes in the United States.[2] He led his TIRR Memorial Hermann Hotwheels team to three national titles and one national softball title. This success led him to receive a scholarship to play division 1 wheelchair basketball at the University of Alabama. In January 2020, he won the inaugural Houston Sports Insperity Inspiration Award.[6]

In 2022, Berry started training for the 2024 Summer Paralympics with his teammates from the University of Alabama.

Television

In 2021, he and his brother appeared on an episode of Tamron Hall, to discuss their respective successes in wheelchair basketball.[7]

Social media

In 2022, he posted a video on TikTok of him playing wheelchair basketball against his able bodied friend when he is pushed out of his wheelchair. It went viral, receiving over 3.4 million views and received over 650 thousand likes, and received mixed reception by users on the platform, with some users accusing Berry's friend of ableism.[8]

Personal life

Over the years, he has become close friends with J. J. Watt.[9][10][11] He is Jewish.[12]

Filmography
Year Title Role Ref.
2021 Tamron Hall Show Guest [7]

Awards
Year Award Result Ref.
2020 Houston Sports Award – Insperity Inspiration Award Won [6]

Footnotes
  1. The university's wheelchair basketball team is known as "Roll Tide".
  2. For references verifying this information, refer to the early life and career sections of this article.

Referencing
  1. "Alabama Adapted Athletics on Instagram: "The Hollister Invitations MVP goes to Peter Berry! Congratulations Peter and Happy Birthday. #RollTide". October 31, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  2. "USA's No. 1 wheelchair basketball recruit signs with Alabama". KHOU. November 13, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  3. "Meet Aaron and Peter Berry". 180 Medical. 29 June 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  4. "Berry Children Orphaned: Justin Bieber Spurs Nationwide Movement". ABC News. July 28, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  5. "Justin Bieber Shows His Heart". Young Hollywood. November 14, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  6. "Houston Sports Awards Announces Inaugural Insperity Inspiration Award". Houston Sports Awards. December 19, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  7. "How Brothers Paralyzed in a Car Crash Became No. 1 Wheelchair Basketball Recruit". Tamron Hall. September 9, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  8. Berry, Peter (May 22, 2022). "He's not ableist I promise..." TikTok. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  9. "Berry siblings praise Texans star J. J. Watt for special friendship at gala". Culture Map Houston. December 7, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  10. "Lesser-known stories of J. J. Watt's impact on Houston off the field". ESPN. March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  11. Davenport, Gary (February 8, 2013). "Why J. J. Watt Should Be Your Favorite NFL Player". Bleacher Report. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  12. "Deadly head-on car crash sends Houston Jewish community into shock". Bleacher Report. July 22, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
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