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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- A man who many say is a great example of courage will be speaking at Truman State University. On Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. at Pershing Arena, inspirational speaker and ESPY award recipient Aaron Thomas will share his story.

Thomas is the son of the late Ed Thomas, a beloved football coach for Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, Iowa.

Ed Thomas was shot to death by a mentally ill former player.

During his presentation Thomas will share his story and tell the audience how he deals with adversity, what he learned from his father and what he has learned in his career.

Thomas’ former roommate, and current Truman men’s basketball coach Matthew Woodley, said this will be a great speech. “He’s got a great story to tell,” Woodley said. “It should be a powerful message on Tuesday night.”

Thomas challenges organizations to think about what they need to do to stand out and be the best in their field.

Thomas' appearance is sponsored by Bulldog LEADERS, Truman Athletics and ROTC.

At the 2010 ESPY awards, Thomas and his family received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

The public is invited to hear Thomas speak and admission is free.

You can view the video that documents the Thomas family story HERE.

Courtesy Truman State University