Anchoring the school’s 2026 theme of resilience, student-athletes began the academic year learning from the story of Mr Warren Sheldon Humphries. Mr Humphries, a recipient of the Singapore Silent Heroes Award, lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease — a rare hereditary motor and sensory disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and loss of sensation in parts of the body.

Over time, the condition significantly impacted his mobility and daily life. Mr Humphries shared candidly that the disease eventually cost him his job, marriage and self-esteem. During one of the lowest periods of his life, he described himself as having a “PhD in failure”, as he navigated multiple losses and the transition to becoming wheelchair-bound while managing chronic physical pain.

After a difficult period and encouraged by a close friend who was battling cancer, Mr Humphries made a decision to rebuild his life. He signed up for training programmes to learn new skills and redefine his purpose. Today, he is among the first persons with disabilities to serve as a docent (guide) at the Enabling Village in Bukit Merah and for Sentosa’s Wheel-Venture Accessibility Tour, helping others better understand accessibility and inclusion.

The Singapore Silent Heroes Awards recognise everyday individuals who make extraordinary contributions to society through compassion, service and resilience.

Through his sharing, Mr Humphries reminded student-athletes that regardless of the challenges they face, they should never give up. He encouraged them to earn respect through humility and to see accountability as a strength.

“Never tell yourself that you are a failure, because it sets you up to be one. The reason you fall is so you can pick yourself up,” he shared candidly with student-athletes.