Austin Hatch's story is one of tragedy, incomprehensible loss and triumph. On Labor Day of 2003, Hatch and his family were flying from northern Michigan to Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
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Austin Hatch
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Austin Hatch’s story is one of tragedy, incomprehensible loss and triumph. On Labor Day of 2003, Hatch and his family were flying from northern Michigan to Ft. Wayne, Indiana. As they were preparing to land, the aircraft crashed and burst into flames. His father threw him out of the plane to save his life. However, when his father went back into the flames to get the rest of the family, they did not survive.
Hatch and his father grieved the loss of their family members but found ways to keep living in the midst of the incomprehensible pain. They pushed each other to overcome, and eventually, his dad met a lovely woman named Kimberley, who had three kids of her own. They got married and together, formed a wonderful blended family. Meanwhile, Hatch worked hard on his basketball skills and began to have success on the court.
His dream was to play for The University of Michigan. On June 15, 2011, Coach Beilein offered him a full scholarship to play basketball for The University of Michigan, which he accepted. It was a dream come true. Nine days later, on June 24th, 2011, his father and “second mother” were flying to Northern Michigan to have a weekend of celebration. As they were preparing to land, the aircraft crashed, and his dad and second mom were killed on impact. Hatch suffered severe injuries and was nearly killed.
After being in a coma for over two months, Hatch had to relearn how to walk and talk. With the help of many incredible doctors, therapists, his family and friends, he made a great comeback to take the place at The University of Michigan that Coach Beilein held open for him. Ten years later, he graduated from The University of Michigan and is a full time motivational speaker with a message about Grit & Thriving in the midst of adversity.
It has been said that Grit is working hard for a long period of time. Grit is about consistency over the long term, not just intensity in the short term. That’s true, but how can we apply Grit to our daily lives? How can we use Grit to help us achieve any goal we set for ourselves and for our organizations? Hatch believes the following definition applies to, not only overcoming adversity, but to accomplishing any goal, as well.
There are four key components to Grit, but he believes Grit is driven by having a Greater Purpose for why we do what we do. If we are working just for ourselves, it is very likely that we will eventually face some form of adversity that will cause us to give up because we don’t have a driving force for why we do what we do. If we are working for something bigger than ourselves, Hatch believes we will always do what it takes to get the job done, no matter the task and no matter the circumstances. Our Purpose drives Grit.
Hatch believes that part of the reason he survived two plane crashes, endured tragic losses and made a great recovery, is to help others. He has been sharing his story and message about Grit & Thriving in the midst of adversity to inspire others to overcome the adversity they are facing. We all face challenges every day, and he believes that it is his purpose to help others find ways to thrive in the midst of them.
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Grit & Thriving
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Austin Hatch featured on ESPN GameDay
Austin Hatch scores at Michigan
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