He may not be a genius, but can he still get into the Ivy League?

Kyle Veazey was dealt a bad hand. But instead of simply cashing out, he called on the flop, raised on the turn, and went all in on the river, and now he is on the verge of something big. As a child, Kyle Veazey was diagnosed with a learning disability in math. At 10, he would be diagnosed with ADD, OCD, and Tourette’s syndrome. At 11, he would be diagnosed with cancer that would start in his thyroid, and spread all throughout his neck, thymus, chest, lungs, left underarm, and become wrapped around his vocal chords.

If that weren’t already enough, at 15 he would be diagnosed with a brain tumor, and on September 12th, 2001, his life would change forever when he would have two strokes that would initially leave him paralyzed from the face down on his right side. Over the course of 16 years, Kyle has fought hard to make it where he is today. For over 10 years, he was denied the opportunity to do a single show anywhere. But he didn’t quit. And on August 31st, 2017, after over 10 years of driving thousands of miles and hundreds of open mics, he got his first show. Now, that same bar is allowing him to play every Friday.

Today, Kyle is the proud owner of Actour & Script, LLC, a management company that deals currently in investing with plans to venture into real estate as well. And currently, Kyle is applying to not one, but seven Ivy League schools with hopes to major in Economics, and be not only a student but an inspiration to others just like him.

But if one had told Kyle he would be where he is today 13 years ago, he never would have believed him. One night at the age of 18, Kyle was talking to his then eight-year-old brother simply about life. As they were talking, Kyle said, “I’m really mad that I can’t play guitar anymore, and I’m really mad that I’ll never amount to anything.”

Then he asked, “What should I do?”

With wisdom beyond his years, his brother just sat there for a few minutes, then told Kyle what would become his life’s mantra. He looked him in the eye, and said, “Don’t focus on the past, don’t look to the future. Live for today.”

Kyle has started a blog that talks about the current trends in the stock market, but with a more comedic outlook. Its tag line is, “It’s like The Daily Show, except with stocks”.

However, on September 12th, Kyle will not be talking about stocks, but rather sharing his life story on the 16th anniversary of the day that would change his life. Though at the time it seemed that the stroke would be a handicap, it has proved to be an advantage. One of the schools Kyle is applying to has a program made specifically for non-traditional students who have overcome extreme hardships, or obstacles in their life.

Yale University offers the only merit scholarship of all eight Ivy League schools. It is called the Eli Whitney program, and Kyle is in the process of applying for a full ride to one of the world’s top universities.

“My goal is to use my story not simply to get a free education, but also so others can look at me and say, ‘He had a stroke and was paralyzed, and because of his determination to succeed, he got into Yale. If he can do it, so can I. In short, my goal in going to an Ivy League schools is so others will too,” says Kyle Veazey.

You can read about Kyle’s story on the morning of September 12th by visiting his blog at http://realkylevz.blogspot.com.