Brush with Death Does not Deter Graduating Purdue Calumet Student Athlete

Davis-Aaron-mural-std-grad-sp15Aaron Davis transferred to Purdue University Calumet three years ago to earn a Purdue degree and continue a promising basketball career–both of which appeared in limbo following an unfortunate, early spring April morning in 2009.

Davis, then an 18-year-old high school junior in his Peoria, Ill. hometown, had begun his final day of spring vacation by driving his mother to work. But upon returning home, he was confronted outside his garage by a would-be armed robber.

Fortunately, Davis’ story did not end there.

3 gunshot wounds
An ambulance arrived at his home; took him to the hospital; and bullets from his right arm, thigh and stomach were removed. Davis then spent months working hard to recover and regain his strength, confidence and game—which he did his senior year as an honorable mention all-state guard, helping his Richwoods High School team to an Illinois Class 3A high school state runner-up tournament finish in 2010.

Then it was off to an Illinois community college for two years. Subsequently, he enrolled at Purdue Calumet, earned a starting position on the Peregrines’ basketball squad and is on track to gain his Purdue degree in business Saturday (5/9—11 a.m.). In fact, he is among three, graduating Purdue Calumet men’s basketball players this spring—all business majors with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.

“We talk to our players about respecting the process and appreciating the struggle,” Purdue Calumet men’s basketball coach Dan Voudrie said. “Aaron has lived that. He’s a guy who is finishing strong without letting the struggle of life get him down.”

‘Appreciate what you have’
Between final academic responsibilities and job interviews, Davis philosophized about his brush with death.

“It puts life in a whole different perspective,” he said. “It makes you appreciate what you have.”

-Even if what you have happens to be a broken wrist, which sidelined him the entire 2013-14 season. But back on the court during 2014-15, he earned Voudrie’s praise as being “tenacious” and “a warrior.” His team-leading 13.1 points and 3.4 assists a game earned him Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference 2nd team selection.

Off the court, Davis has raised his grade point average nearly every semester of his three years at Purdue Calumet.

Motivated to be the best he could be
“I really took my grades to a different level when I got here,” he said. “I was motivated to be the best I could be. I think it was maturity, taking advantage of opportunities and not settling for anything less.”

That also holds true for jobs he has held with the Purdue Calumet campus grounds unit and Admissions Office.

“When I’m trying to find a campus job for one of our basketball players, and I approach our grounds supervisor, he asks me, ‘Will he work as hard as Aaron Davis’?” Voudrie said.

Asked what Davis will take from his Purdue Calumet experience, he said, “If I needed help from anyone, all I had to do was ask. This place is really student—and athlete—friendly.”