RUTLEDGE — On a warm July evening in a sunlit gymnasium on a woodsy campground, Matthew Jordan gave encouragement, signed dozens of autographs and shook his booty. All three acts delighted Camp Kudzu, which serves children and teens with whom Jordan shares a disease that has no known cure.
The Georgia Tech quarterback was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes almost 10 years ago, and he credits the discipline required to manage the disease for his successes. They include his business-administration degree, earned in 3 ½ years, and his likely status as the Yellow Jackets’ next starting quarterback.
That pride wove through a message he gave last Wednesday at the camp, held at Camp Twin Lakes, a nonprofit that provides camping experiences to children with serious illnesses, disabilities and other life challenges.
“One more thing I’d like to say,” Jordan told the assembly of roughly 150, including campers, counselors and medical staff. “I’ve heard this from a couple people: They’re kind of scared to say they’re diabetic, they’re kind of embarrassed of it, things like that. I’m not one of those kinds of people. If anything, I’m proud of it.”
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