B.C. Lions linebacker Adam Bighill, who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, has turned his facial defect into a strength — and he believes he can help others do the same.
Bighill, 27, a five-year CFL veteran, has joined the board of Making Faces, a Toronto-based charity dedicated to helping others cope with facial differences.
“I want to show kids how I did everything I wanted to do despite any limitations people may have put on me from the day I was born,” Bighill said in an interview at a Toronto hotel.
Growing up in small-town Montesano, Wash., Bighill was ashamed of his face. Other children made fun of him.
One day, he asked his dad why he was born this way, and his dad gave him an answer that would change his life.
“God gave you this challenge, but He gave you extreme athletic ability,” his dad said. Bighill began to believe he was special.
Bighill also got a chip on his shoulder, settled some scores with bullies, and developed a competitive attitude.
“I wanted to compete and prove I’m better than you,” Bighill explained. “It ended up giving me a lot of power. It was the driving force behind why I want to succeed.”
The two-time all-star linebacker was leading the CFL in defensive tackles when the Lions visited the Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 30.
While he used physical gifts to excel, Bighill said each person has his or her own talents that can overcome facial challenges and labelling.
“You’ve got to find what you’re passionate about,” he advises. “You’ve got to believe in that. You have to stand out somehow. That’s how you break through a shell.”
A couple of years ago he told his wife he wanted to find a charity where he could give back to kids with facial deformities.
Coincidentally, he began working with a personal trainer, Rob Williams, whose uncle was once diagnosed with bilateral cleft lip and palate. That uncle was Michael Williams-Stark, 60, the founder of Making Faces.
Williams-Stark, who grew up on the West Coast as a Lions fan, saw Bighill on television a few seasons ago and thought he would be a great guy with whom to connect.
Williams-Stark is another shining example of someone who didn’t let his facial defect limit him. He majored in theatre.
“I must be a masochist,” he says, laughing.
He went on to become a voice-over actor for several animated series and now uses improv comedy to teach eye contact and vocal communication. It’s a fun way for these skills to become second nature to these kids.
One day, at one of his workshops, a student said to him: “Michael, I don’t sit in the back of the class sweating, worrying about the teacher calling me up to talk. I now volunteer to get up and do it.”
Williams-Stark hopes Bighill’s profile can attract some corporate sponsors or others who might be interested in getting involved.
Williams-Stark said Bighill’s story will “bring belief” to the kids and change lives. He’s willing to bet there are more Adam Bighills out there.
