Wanda Southerland
Contributor to The News
As a mighty warrior and a man of valor, he fought for the little guy, against wrongdoing and evil, and stood up for freedom and tolerance. Then, as a college philosophy professor who is an atheist and demands his students sign a declaration to pass, he is confronted by one student who refuses to sign.
Kevin Sorbo is best known for the roles of Professor Radisson in God’s Not Dead, Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda, and Kull in Kull the Conqueror. As a result of the characters of Hercules, Captain Hunt and Kull, he became an international hero.
Yet, in the prime of his personal life he became weak and frail when he experienced an aneurysm in his shoulder, which caused three stokes. The strokes, thought to be triggered when chiropractic manipulation of his shoulder released multiple blood clots from the aneurysm, left Sorbo with a permanent 10 percent vision loss, weakness, impaired balance and migraines. He was 38 years old.
Shortly thereafter, he married Sam Jenkins, whom he met when she had a guest role on Hercules. They have three children.
“As with any life-threatening disease, you go through all these different stages: from being angry to railing at everyone to blaming and questioning God,” Sorbo said during a telephone interview from California.
He gives credits to his wife and his faith for helping him get through his arduous path to recovery. “She told me one day, ‘your life has changed. It happened. Now, what are you going to do about it?
“So when you look in the mirror you have to see the person you are and come to the understanding that your life has changed,” Sorbo said.
A decision that is defined as triumph over tragedy.
Sorbo is scheduled to speak on Friday, February 26 at the Film & Entertainment Summit that will be held on the last day of Proclaim 16, the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) International Christian Media Convention, in Nashville.
Now in its second year, the Summit brings to the stage top Hollywood entertainment professionals, distributors, financiers, stars, filmmakers, composers and executives.
“We are looking forward to having Kevin Sorbo share his secrets to successful acting with Summit participants,” remarked NRB President & CEO Dr. Jerry A. Johnson. “He is a welcome addition to our star-studded lineup.”
At the conference and when he addresses an audience, Sorbo’s message is geared to encourage people to empower themselves no matter what challenges they face and that they, too, can triumph over tragedy.
Growing up in Minnesota, Sorbo attended public schools. His mother was a nurse; his father was a junior high school teacher. His family was faithful church-goers.
“My faith has always been a part of my life,” Sorbo acknowledged. In Hollywood, he doesn’t flaunt his faith, but neither does he hide it.
“I am always willing to give my two-cents worth,” he said. Yet, he realizes that Hollywood has zero tolerance toward Christians and conservatives— of which he is passionate for both — and has felt the backlash for his convictions.
“I don’t understand the backlash — it is subtle — especially in this country that was founded on Judeo-Christian principles,” Sorbo added.
He said he has experienced a drop-off in getting big movie roles, even though he has a proven success rate, with two back-to-back series that ran internationally for 12 years. Once the backlash began in 2005, he said it escalated.
In recent years, Sorbo became involved in Christian-related movies. He recently completed a series of shows that he is waiting to be picked up by a network.
Today, in addition to acting, Sorbo leads A World Fit for Kids, a successful mentoring model that trains inner-city teens to use school, fitness, sports and positive role models for themselves. World Fit is the No. 1 afterschool program in California and is in its nineteenth year.
Twelve thousand kids, on average per year, are involved in the program that has a graduation rate of 98 percent, compared to the 54 percent graduation rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Sorbo said budget restraints prevent the program from involving more students.
With the success of the program, Sorbo could envision adding one program per year in larger cities. That particular dream has yet to materialize. He has testified more than once before Congress trying to promote this program, “but they always turn a deaf ear,” Sorbo said. “We keep putting the same people in power and then wonder why nothing ever gets done. It’s all about government control.”
In addition to being an actor and chairman of the program that prepares young people for fit and fulfilling lives, he is also an author.
Four years ago he wrote “True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal and How Nearly Dying Saved My Life,” that is available at Amazon.
Sorbo worked on the book for about a year during his recovery process.
“I didn’t push or rush,” he shared about writing the book. “I am a light sleeper and when I would wake up at night, I would write down what was going through my head.”
“True Strength” is the story of his life and near-death experience and survival, as well as the transformation, persistence and hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
In describing some of his challenges, Sorbo admitted that fear often invaded his mind. His faith and trust in God enabled him to remember that, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” — a famous saying by Franklin D. Roosevelt during his first Presidential inaugural address.
With his honest account of personal tragedy and triumph, Sorbo aims to empower and encourage those who have ever suffered acute illness or a serious setback in life and are struggling to find their way back.
To hear Sorbo speak or attend the convention, Proclaim 16, that will be held February 23-26 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, go to www.rnbconvention.org for information.
The NRB is a non-partisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers and readers. Its mission is to advance biblical truth, to promote media excellence and to defend free speech.
