Inspirational speaker, MS advocate, host of Real Lyfe Reel Talk with TC Speaks
Welcome to “7 Questions with A Couple,” a monthly series that includes quick conversations with a variety of experts and influencers from throughout the MS community. It is our honor and pleasure to welcome one of the most motivational people we know: Tyler Campbell. Tyler was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2007 while playing football at San Diego State University. As the son of NFL Hall of Famer Earl Campbell and his wife, Reuna, Tyler embraced the words of his father – “A Campbell never quits” – and is using his stories and experiences to emower people across the globe. In addition to serving as an MS ambassador and advocate, Tyler hosts Real Lyfe Reel Talk with TC Speaks, the #1 radio show Saturdays on 104.9 FM The Horn in Austin, Texas. And why do we get such inspiration from Tyler? Consider this, one of our favorite quotes from him: “The storms of life are not always meant to destroy, sometimes they are sent to carve out a new path. Let that marinate on your cerebellum today.”
1. You are no stranger to athletics. After all, your dad, Earl, is a Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer, and you were a scholarship fullback at San Diego State University and one of the first individuals to play Division I college football with MS. How big of a role has your experience as an athlete played in your life with MS?
For me, the athleticism part was huge. I wasn’t so much wanting to be a professional athlete, as much as it was using the athleticism to help serve other people. At the heart, I was always raised to try to help other people. So I thought, being narrow minded, was that was supposed to be done with football. But in all actuality, football and athletics was just a tool to teach me self-discipline, how to follow directions, to open up to be part of a team. To teach me a resiliency. To teach me how to get knocked down. And to not lean upon others necessarily to get myself back up. It was painting a pivotal role for me and preparing me all these years. It wasn’t preparing me for football, it was preparing me for life and life ultimately with MS. So my viewpoint, on the way I maneuver, I give so much of that to what athletics taught me. And also, with that, my faith. Those two things because I would need that same type of mindset living with MS.
2. At what point did you realize that you had what it would take to use your voice and experiences to motivate others?
When I was in the hospital and suffered a second relapse, I remember when the doctor came in to deliver the bad news that I already knew, which was that football can no longer be a part of my life. The first thing I told him was that it was OK because when one door closes in your life another one opens. I said it because it was on my heart, but I had no idea what I was speaking. I think it was the man up above speaking over my life saying, “I’ve got you, and I’ve got to use you for something different.”
I then remembered taking a speech class in college. I was terrified. I did not like to speak in front of people, but when I took this class, I recognized that doing speeches and being on stage was very comfortable to me. I actually loved doing that and looked forward to that more than I looked forward to football practices and games. I recognized that I have a gift for words. Every sports team I’ve ever played on I was a team captain, so a gift for leadership was already showing. The last thing was a gift for obedience. Like if you thought your life was supposed to go down one road, you would be open to seeing the other road that was unfolding and then being obedient to walking down that path. That’s kind of how it came together for me.
3. What do you hope people take away from your keynote presentations and episodes of Real Lyfe Reel Talk with TC Speaks?
I’m so glad you asked that. When people see me, when they hear me – and it’s going to be weird and sound different than what most people think – but in all honesty I want people to say, “What’s so special about that guy?” Here’s what I mean by that: I want people to say that because I need them to think and say and understand about themselves that there is nothing Tyler is doing with MS that you can’t do with your MS. I think there’s that slogan that I really want people to get to a place faster and go farther than I could have ever gotten. I want to lift that up in other people’s spirits. I am no different. I bleed just like you bleed. I cry with this disease just like you cry with this disease. Everybody has a story. I just want people to see their worth and just look at me and say, “Hey! I can do that! And guess what? I think I could do a little bit better.” So go do it! Please go do it because somebody needs to hear what you have to say.
4. As an athlete, we imagine you likely had to maintain a pretty disciplined diet. How has MS impacted the kinds of foods you eat?
Definitely being smarter. Having to say no a lot more. I don’t have it all down perfect yet. I’m still very hard-headed. Man listen, I just got done frying some fish, and that’s not healthy. So again, I want people to see my wholeness and my realness. Obviously with this disease, it can teach you that what you did one way, you may not be able to do things the same way. But the things don’t have to die, you just have to find a new approach to the old dreams that you had for yourself. So for me, my new approach has been trying to limit as many sugars as possible, incorporate the right types of foods, the right types of vegetables. And also be open to other things like apple cider vinegar incorporations or saying no to certain legume category things or learning about what Candida diets are.
But an athlete mindset has made it easier for me to say no because building yourself up for so many years as this trained machine I think again that was the advantage: If you tell me what I don’t need to do, I will be obedient to what you say is disadvantageous to my body. I will abide by that even if it even if it causes me crying tears because of certain things I’m not supposed to have.
5. Where do you turn for your inspiration?
The very first thing is my wife, Shana. We were friends in college, and she knew I had MS. Knowing that you have someone you can speak to without judgment is a beautiful thing. I am very blessed in that regard, and I definitely love going to my wife. And the second thing, and I don’t want people to refrain from it, and I see a counselor. Somebody to see and speak to without judgment. Someone that allows you to open up and that it’s been a pivotal part for me. Because we go through so many ups and downs and so much stress with this disease. It is hard to talk about it, especially with people who do not live with the disease. It is hard to understand. So I found out a therapist for me has been a true blessing. It has helped me to alleviate stress, and we know stress is bad for MS. Carrying around the baggage of stress magnifies everything, and that’s not just MS.
My wife and my counselor have been a blessing. But I’m only saying this for me, for my mental health, and it is different for everyone.
6. A lot of the work you do is related to MS. What do you do to relax and get away from thinking about the disease?
I am reading more. Growing up I used to always get lost in comic books. I was the nerdy kid getting lost in comic books and eating honey buns. I played sports, but I loved comic books and fiction books by writers like J.R.R. Tolkien. These books allowed me to escape. And that is the one thing I have gotten back into in the last couple of years is letting my mind escape through reading. Letting my mind shape an imaginary world. That has been beautiful for me.
Also, my family means everything to me. Hanging on and taking that roller coaster ride. My son had a track meet just the other day, and just sitting back watching him and thinking to myself, “Hey, that’s my son out there.” Just loving on my children – Messiah, Cheyenne and Saige – and my family. I am extroverted, but I am introverted, as well. I am extroverted because of my speaking, but I am introverted because of my books and my being, what I call it, a lifetime learner. I’m currently reading a book about Nipsey Hussle and how he leveraged his gifts to provide programs and to help his community, kind of like what I hope to do.
7. You’ve spoken about, “Sometimes you have to find a new approach to an old dream.” What is the next “old dream” you are hoping to realize in your life?
Going back to being a superhero, I realize more needs to be done for underserved communities. There is a greater need for awareness and advocacy, especially among minorities. And I kind of think that is the trajectory or calling that has been placed over my life. I have been able to navigate the MS road, and we have discovered a lot of really great things. Now it is like, “Tyler, employ that.” It’s my turn. Get that information out there because people are suffering. Time is of the essence. The earlier you are diagnosed, the better chance you give your body. That has been my mission.
I am making a photo novella and making a comic book about my life, about MS, at proplayerfoundation.org. That’s taking my MS story, my MS diagnosis, and it makes it more approachable and will reach a larger audience. I just want to make the understanding of MS a little bit easier. And that is kind of my vision going forward. And maybe that will encourage other people to tell their story. We need to tell as many stories as possible, because each and every story somebody will relate to. A lot of people get bogged down because they think about the masses, and I am just trying to reach that one person. And that one person will multiply. You never know who you are going to reach. You will just keep rolling.