Will Bermudez’s story is one of resilience, perseverance, and unyielding determination. A first-generation college student, now a senior at UC Irvine and a standout on the baseball team, Will’s journey has been anything but conventional.
In May 2019, during a travel baseball game, the 17-year-old collided with a teammate while chasing a pop fly, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Although Will quickly regained mobility, the collision also resulted in a traumatic brain injury that caused him to lose five years of memory. For more than two weeks, Will thought he was a 12-year-old. A few months after his injury, he suffered his first epileptic seizure. Will was diagnosed with Myoclonic Juvenile Epilepsy, leading the Air Force Academy to rescind his scholarship.
The injury took a toll on Will’s physical and mental health. In addition to extensive rehabilitation, Will leaned on his faith and the coping skills he developed in mental health counseling.
Determined to forge a path forward, he enrolled at UC Davis. Since baseball was not a good fit at the time, he focused on his academics and getting healthy. Wanting to play baseball again, in 2022, he transferred to Mount San Antonio College, where he excelled, batting .343. His play caught the attention of the coaches at UC Irvine, where he transferred in 2023 and quickly earned the starting position at second base. He batted .250 and was named a finalist for the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Last year, he improved at the plate, batting .301 and earning All-Big-West Second Team honors.
Will’s experiences inspired his academic pursuits. Majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology, he aspires to become a psychiatrist, dedicated to helping people struggling with mental health challenges—just as he learned to manage his own.
“Everyone has different battles. Mine was epilepsy,” said Will. “I want everyone to know that whatever they are going through will get better if they take it one day at a time and don’t let anything stop them from achieving their dreams.”