HOUSTON – A former NBA draft prospect whose basketball career ended because of a rare disorder started a new job as National Walk Ambassador for the Marfan Foundation in Houston Thursday night.
Isaiah Austin, 22, was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a potentially fatal genetic disorder, days before he was projected to be a first-round NBA draft pick in 2014.
Thursday, he was in Houston with Owen Gray. The two are far from identical twins, but their hearts are so similar, they live like brothers.
"No words can say how thankful I am for Isaiah," Owen said. "How he carried himself with Marfan syndrome. That's the guy who I look up to (for) how I should carry myself."
Isaiah was a University of Baylor basketball star and was expected to be an NBA lottery pick. However, when doctors diagnosed him with Marfan his basketball career ended before it started.
Still, his emotional appearance on stage at the draft caught Owen's dad's attention as he watched on TV from his home in Cypress.
"When I looked and saw the physical characteristics that Owen had, they kind of matched up to what Isaiah is," Rod Gray said. "(That's) when I knew I needed to get an eye doctor's appointment and a cardiologist appointment."
It turns out Owen, 14, has Marfan too. He tells people seeing Isaiah saved his life.
"For another person to say that I saved their life, I don't take that lightly," Isaiah said. "That's one of the reasons why me and Owen are so close today."
The two text weekly and while Isaiah is the Marfan Foundation National Ambassador for the Walk for Victory, it is usually Owen encouraging Isaiah.
Owen considers it a talent he often uses to help others with Marfan move forward.
"We might have this syndrome, but that's not the end of our life," Owen said. "There's way bigger things out there for us than not being able to play sports."
Isaiah is back at Baylor University chasing his degree in General Studies. Owen plans to become a basketball coach and has a Houston Rockets assistant coach as a mentor.
In the meantime, Isaiah and Owen are raising Marfan awareness and planning their futures as brothers.
For information about the signs of Marfan syndrome, click here. The Marfan Foundation will have a walk to raise awareness in Houston February 20th.
