GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Joey Williamson is a cornhole aficionado.
"I love it," Williamson said. "It's so much fun."
He enjoys it for many reasons, but there is one that stands out among the rest.
"That's what cornhole has been about for me as an adult," Williamson said. "I have met a lot of great people and made some lifelong friends through this sport."
That's not all the 38-year-old has done.
"I hope I can continue to inspire others," Williamson said.
Williamson is not supposed to be here. The Patterson Ice Center employee lives with a congenital heart defect. His mom was told before he was born he would live just one week. Three open heart surgeries later, he is still here after nearly four decades.
"I feel lucky that God gave me the opportunity to do all of this and have a very meaningful life," Williamson said.
He aspires to make life meaningful for people like him. Williamson wants to get cornhole in schools so kids who can't participate in physical sports can still play something.
"I want to be able to give them something they can compete in and excel at," Williamson said.
He has already made an impact.
"He's definitely got the passion for it," Michigan Cornhole director Jason Duflo said. "He's a Wayland Wildcat. I know we have a little cornhole going on down there at the schools down there so he is a big part of trying to grow it."
It's that growth for everyone that Williamson hopes to continue to see.
"As much as I have grown, I want to see other people grow as well," Williamson said.
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