Desmond Howard speaks at YMCA inspiration breakfast

Over 500 community members attended the YMCA of South Palm Beach County’s 19th annual Inspiration Breakfast on May 19 at the Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton.

Organizers said the event, featuring keynote speaker and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, raised over $275,000 to benefit the YMCA’s financial assistance and youth development programs.

“Overcoming a year like 2020, the YMCA of South Palm Beach County can’t express their gratitude enough to our local community members who continue to show their support for the Y’s life-changing programs year after year,” Hagensick said. “We were extremely honored to have one of our South Florida neighbors and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard share his story of perseverance to inspire our audience.”

Howard began the morning by signing footballs and participating in a meet and greet with attendees, which was followed by a reception breakfast with Howard talking about his upbringing in sports, playing professional football and how he became a college football analyst with ESPN.

Howard, who was the fourth overall pick in the 1992 NFL draft and played in the league for 11 seasons, shared with the gathering that he grew up attending the YMCA and that is where he learned to swim.

He earned All-American and All-Ohio honors during his senior year in high school and was recruited to play at the University of Michigan. Howard won the Heisman Trophy in 1991 after leading the Big Ten Conference in scoring.

“I would tell parents that if their children are interested, to participate in multiple sports,” Howard said. “This will help grow their athletic ability and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.”