At just 11 years old, Jeremiah Fennell has already interviewed some of the greatest names in sports. travis kelseyMichael Phelps and Brock Purdy.
Despite facing serious health problems from birth, her path to journalism defied even her doctors’ expectations.
Jeremiah was born without a gland in his brain, a condition that doctors warned could leave him unable to walk, talk or even hear.
His first language was sign language, but eventually Jeremiah learned how to speak and began to discover a love for sports.
“I just remember sitting in bed and watching Raiders games. Seeing all the loud fans and the players enjoying the game made me fall in love with Raiders games from a young age.” I think it is,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever stopped loving it ever since.”
Doctors said Jeremiah was unable to play sports due to his medical condition, and instead found his calling in journalism, which combined his love of sports with his curiosity.
“My mother says that when I was about 2 years old, I couldn’t speak,” he said. “But when I watched a football game, I knew all the words. So I think at 7 years old, I just knew the sport and could commentate well.”
Jeremiah says the journey from watching games with his mother to interviewing athletes has been quick, but not overwhelming.
“It’s really beautiful that I’m here,” he said.
He said to prepare for an interview, research the person you’re talking to and come up with questions you really want to ask.
Jeremiah dreams of interviewing sports legends like Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry, and hopes to one day commentate on NFL games. His favorite sports are soccer and basketball, but he also likes to watch baseball from time to time.
As for his dream job, Jeremiah has made it clear that he would like to continue his career in sports broadcasting.
“I definitely want to keep this career going because I enjoy it so much, and I think this could be a long-lasting career,” he said.