A Story Rebuilt from the Inside Out
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Growing Up
Darryll Stinson grew up in Jackson, Michigan—a small city about an hour west of Detroit. In a place where safety was scarce and identity often had to be negotiated for survival, Darryll stood out early. He was brilliant. A straight-A student. Curious. Sensitive. Goofy. His peers nicknamed him “Goon.”
But none of that protected him from the sting of being teased—for “talking white,” for having a wide gap in his teeth, for simply being different in a world that demanded conformity.
Middle School
By the time he hit middle school, Darryll traded his authenticity for acceptance. He changed his voice. His laugh. The music he listened to. His wardrobe. His habits. He began skipping school, selling drugs and running the streets. But on the basketball court and football field, he found what felt like refuge—applause, admiration, and a momentary relief from the ache of not belonging.
High School
He became one of the nation’s Top 100 high school athletes, sharing courts and fields with the likes of Brandon Jennings, Draymond Green, Michael Jordan’s son, and dozens more NBA and NFL athletes. That visibility and status earned him a full-ride football scholarship to Central Michigan University under legendary coach Butch Jones. His future seemed bright. It was only a matter of time before he would reach his dream of being a professional athlete.
But fate had other plans.
College
His true Freshman year, Darryll underwent major back surgery after a weight lifting incident. The athletics office offered to honor his scholarship so he could focus on his education. But Darryll was stubborn and determined not to quit.
So, he signed a injury/death liability waiver and came back to play again.
He started as a strong side defensive end for two years on a team with 12+ NFL/CFL players including Antonio Brown and 2012 #1 NFL draft pick Eric Fisher.
How so!? Determination, grit, and and following an extreme minute-by-minute disciplined rehabilitation routine.
Pain
Oh… yeah… and behind the scenes, he was also using epidural medical procedures, nerve-killing treatments, and pain killers (opiods) to keep his body performing.
He numbed his pain so he could play the game – and keep his respect. And the worst part… he was selling drugs across the state of Michigan to pay for it all under the table and off the books.
Eventually, the truth caught up with him.
His back began to hunch permanently.
But fate had other plans.
Breakdown
His athletic trainers started noticing blood coming from his nose during practices and games. His body was breaking down. His addiction was exposed. And before his senior year, Darryll was removed from the active roster of the team.
No more games.
No more helmet to hide behind.
Depression
Without sports fueling his affirmation and identity, Darryll was forced to face the insecurities and inadequacies he had suppressed beneath his success.
He spiraled into a dark depression.
He starved himself from 275 to 219 pounds in just four weeks, and made several more attempts to end his life.
No More Games
Until his mother stepped in.
Refusing to lose her son, she got him on the phone in the middle of his last attempt.
She drove him to a psychiatric unit in Detroit.
That was the day that changed everything.
No more games.
No more helmet to hide behind.
Say Yes To God
Inside that hospital, Darryll felt hope and purpose for the first time since he was a kid.
From there, he followed a new path of success with self-care as the priority. He journaled. Sat in silence. Spent hours in therapy and prayer facing his pain head-on.
He got clear on his purpose, his calling, his values, and that became the foundation for the next chapter of his life.
Return To College
He returned to CMU and earned his degree in Integrative Public Relations. He landed a job as the university’s Coordinator of Content Solutions and quickly put his communication skills to use—writing speeches, press releases, magazine feature stories, and marketing campaigns. Ultimately beneath the leadership of CMU Hall-of-Fame Journalism student Sherry Knight, winning multiple communication awards.
Ministry
But Darryll wasn’t done healing. Or helping.
He left higher ed to enter pastoral ministry—first in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, then Saginaw, Michigan, then in Atlanta, Georgia. There, he served communities impacted by addiction and built bridges between faith and business.
It was meaningful work—but he was still struggling to find his voice.
Speaking
Speaking still terrified him. He once tried to play a pre-recorded audio at a speaking event just to avoid losing his train of thought on stage. He skipped icebreakers because he didn’t know how to introduce himself. But he kept showing up. Speaking to student-athletes, churches, and small audiences—sharing his story not because he was trying to blow up, but because he was committed to build up others, and be the help he wish he had.
He got better. More honest. More vulnerable. More bold.
Early clients like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Henry Ford Health Systems, and the NCAA began to take notice. He kept speaking. Kept healing. Wrote his first book, Who Am I After Sports?, and it became an Amazon #1 bestseller.
TedX
Then came the TEDx talk—Overcoming Rejection—which went viral, garnering 2.1 million views in just 18 months.
-one TEDx photo
Doors opened.
Stages expanded.
He started speaking for companies like Dicks Sporting Goods, Amazon (AWS), DSM-Firmtech, and Schneider Electric. He began sharing platforms with celebrities and influencers like Eric Thomas, Chris Gronkowski, Seth Godin, Sharon Lechter, Jack Canfield, Les Brown, Magic Johnson and more.
Coaching
But Darryll wasn’t chasing fame—he was sowing impact.
He started coaching entrepreneurs and leaders from around the world—CEOs, world champions, social impact entrepreneurs, and visionaries —helping them shape their story and share their message while growing their movements and themselves.
Today
Today, Darryll is the co-founder of Seeding Greatness, a community that helps leaders clarify their message and grow purpose-driven movements.
He hosts the Seeding Greatness Podcast.
Runs transformational retreats and coaching programs.
Leads the Seeding Greatness Collective—a global network of mission-driven entrepreneurs.
And serves as the organizer and licensee of TEDxCoolSpringsYouth in Tennessee.
His greatest gift, and in many ways, the clearest reflection of his work: Being married for 10+ years to his wife, Brittany — and fathering their four children Ava, Arianna, Amaya, and Isaiah.
The Journey
Darryll’s story isn’t about “going from nobody to somebody.”
It’s about becoming who he already was on the inside the entire time.
Anything is possible when you stop hiding your greatness and start seeding it into others.
The journey to greatness isn’t about being #1.
It’s about becoming one-of-one.
And that, as Darryll likes to say, is something “you already are.”
