Rohan Murphy's Powerful OLWEUS Message

By John Chen

February 12, 2024

Professional wrestler Rohan Murphy presented at JMS on October 19th, 2023 for the OLWEUS Kickoff. In his presentation, he discussed his journey and his wrestling career. 

As part of the anti-bullying OLWEUS program, the annual OLWEUS kickoff featured an inspiring message from Murphy, a paralympic wrestler who lost his legs at birth. During his presentation, he shared his background in sports and wrestling, showing that even when others saw him as having a disadvantage, he still found a way to win wrestling matches and rise to the top. He demonstrated his wrestling techniques, even inviting students to the stage to participate. 

Ms. Breland-Henry organized the events for the OLWEUS Kickoff, including Rohan Murphy’s presentation. She commented, “My favorite part was when he brought students on stage…He brought some 8th graders up and the 8th graders he brought in particular are some kids that a lot of people know. And I really liked how he got them to engage. They were excited, the friends of those people were excited, and everyone was just excited to see the wrestling movements and the takedowns.” Rohan Murphy emphasized that even though he had an injury that others expected would mark the end of his wrestling career, he still never gave up and never used his disability as an excuse to limit his possibilities. His lesson to the crowd was to never give up, to never bully others, and to never make excuses for not pursuing their dreams.

Later in the day, students and teachers gathered in the gym for a variety of student-staff games. The JMS cheerleading team and band hyped up the crowd, while teachers vs. students minigames created an atmosphere of school spirit. Combined with Rohan Murphy’s powerful message, the day was a reminder that teamwork, determination, and empathy are a winning combination.