Musician Overcomes Lifetime of Challenges to Win Heart of Arts Award

From the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American

Oak Grove High School senior Brian Evans came into this world with the odds stacked against him.

"I had him on Aug. 29, and he was not due until Christmas," his mother, Debra Evans, said. "He was 23 weeks when I had him, and the doctors did not expect him to survive.

"They told me if he did survive, he would be wheelchair-bound, unable to do anything for himself."

Evans did survive — only to face more challenges during his 18 years. But his love for music has gotten him through and even helped him deal with some of those issues.

That appreciation for music and Evans' survivor spirit have earned him a National High School Heart of the Arts Award from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Evans was chosen for the award among nominees from eight Southern states. He will be honored this morning at the Mississippi High School Activities Association in Clinton.

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