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Davis Honored
Myles Davis
Honored
 Myles Davis and his mother with Chauncey Billups, Swin Cash,
Dr. Andre Lee of the Red Cross, Tim Codd and Pete Seilo of Michigan Orthopedic Services
who will be helping the Pistons donate a new leg to Myles.
Photo by Allen Einstein (NBAE/Getty)
The Detroit Pistons, Detroit Shock and Pistons-Palace Foundation teamed up with Michigan Orthopedic Services to present 17 year-old Myles Davis, of Inkster, Michigan, with the Detroit Pistons and American Red Cross Michigan Heroes Award for his outstanding dedication, discipline and hard work on and off the basketball court. Davis was presented the award on The Palace court prior to the Pistons vs. Atlanta Hawks game at 7:30 p.m. on February 21. Pistons guard Chauncey Billups and WNBA Detroit Shock star Swin Cash along with special guests Tim Codd and Pete Seilo representing Michigan Orthopedic Services and Dr. Andre Lee, American Red Cross Diversity Chair and Board of Directors Member were involved in the presentation.
“I had no idea I was coming out here to win this award tonight, I just thought I’d be at home watching the game on TV. The crowd went wild, it was an unbelievable surprise,” said an excited Davis.
Davis fell victim to cancer when he was a child, resulting in the loss of his left leg. Though devastated, he focused on positives and pursued his dream of playing basketball in the NBA despite his circumstances. An honor roll student striving for a college education, Davis took an old walking prosthetic leg and used it to play basketball. With the help of his personal modifications to the old prosthesis, Davis made it through the tryouts for his high school basketball team and is now a senior guard/forward at Cherry Hill Academy. Recently the foot on his prosthesis broke in a practice and he was unable to play, as the cost of a new athletic prosthetic leg is approximately $12,000. While his father’s insurance covers a new walking leg for Myles every two years, nobody in his family had insurance that would cover any cost of an athletic prosthesis for him to continue playing basketball.
The Detroit Pistons and Michigan Orthopedic Services will be joining forces to donate a new leg to Davis and have recognized this young man’s outstanding effort to overcome his life-long challenge and not let it get in the way of pursuing his dream. A special surprise announcement of a new athletic prosthetic leg was given to Davis during the on-court presentation. Despite all of the doubters and cynics, Davis has continued to amaze his family, teammates, coaches and his fans.
Seilo from Michigan Orthopedic Services stated, “We feel very fortunate to be involved with such an inspirational young man and his family, not to mention the Pistons. We're all looking forward to providing Myles the best possible support and clinical care and to putting his dreams within reach. He certainly deserves it.”
“I think Myles definitely deserves the award with the way he is such an inspiration to so many people both athletically and with the way he is as a student first and foremost. There is a lot for him to be thankful for, but he deserves every bit of it. Good things happen to good people, and this is just another example,” said Codd, from Michigan Orthopedic Services.
“I just want to thank the world and the Detroit Pistons and Michigan Orthopedic Services for receiving this award and a new prosthetic leg, and to everybody who is helping me try to achieve my dream of making it to the NBA. The reason I accepted this award is because I don’t let setbacks overcome me like my leg. I started off playing street ball, then decided I wanted to play organized ball, so I tried out for my high school’s team and made it my senior year. I love to play basketball and I won’t let this leg hold me down, because my dream is to make it to the NBA and I’m going to push as hard as I can to make my dream come true,” said Davis.
Myles’ mother Madelene expressed, “I’m so thrilled and happy for my son, and I want to thank God for helping him. Myles has many other dreams besides college and the NBA, I always tell him that school is first and play is later. He has always followed his dreams, he loves people and wants to show everyone that if he can do it, anybody can.”
“The Pistons and Palace Entertainment have been incredible corporate citizens and it goes beyond what were doing today, with how many years they’ve been providing the silent gift of giving. For us to be part of something that’s been so widely accepted and emotional, you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity for the young man, and the community. I think the lift that it’s going to give emotionally to inspire other kids and families of how we can do more is basically the message that’s coming out of these kinds of gifts that the Palace keeps giving,” stated Seilo of the Michigan Orthopedic Services.
Myles was able to meet Palace President and CEO Tom Wilson, play-by-play voice of the Pistons George Blaha and Pistons legends Rick Mahorn and John Long. He also was interviewed by FOX-2 WJBK-TV and WWJ News Radio 950 for extended periods. Detroit News columnist Rob Parker had featured Myles in late January on a front-page article and while Parker was unable to attend the game, he sent a message to Myles from a Pistons representative via telephone.
“Everyone congratulated me and told me they were proud of me for overcoming cancer and the obstacles that have come with it,” Davis said. “I can’t say enough about how wonderful the Pistons, Shock, Michigan Orthopedic Services and the American Red Cross have been.”
The recognition also launched a partnership between the Detroit Pistons, the Detroit Shock and the American Red Cross – Southeastern Michigan Chapter. The Detroit Pistons and Detroit Shock have partnered with the American Red Cross to continue a program honoring excellence in the community year-round at both Pistons and Shock home games. The initiative will be referred to as “The Detroit Pistons and American Red Cross Heroes Program” at NBA games, but will bear the Detroit Shock’s name during WNBA games. A union of both organizations’ previous efforts to recognize true community leaders and champions, the new program will continue to allow fans from any walk of life to nominate a person or group from their local community at www.pistons.com or www.detroitshock.com.
“We are honored to become associated with the Detroit Pistons and their heroes program,” said Jim Laverty, American Red Cross - Southeastern Michigan Chapter CEO. “Recognizing extraordinary acts in the community is something we have done for many years as it aligns with our humanitarian principles. Joining the top NBA team in the nation was a natural fit for the Red Cross.”
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