NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For a pair of longtime friends, memories truly do carry an especially meaningful value.
The two have traveled the country and beyond sharing their story to audiences.
The friends met up again at Fox's Donut Den on July 27, 2025. You see, dates are really important to HK Derryberry.
"What is your birthday?" HK asked an employee of Fox's.
"January 29, 2000," he answered.
"You were born on a Saturday."
People in the shop stood by listening, amazed by HK's memory.
The employee quickly scrolled through his phone to check if HK was right.
"I beat Google any day!" HK said with a big grin. "I know that's Oprah Winfrey's birthday."
"Uh oh. I share a birthday with Oprah!" the employee laughed.
"You were born on a Wednesday," HK then told me after I gave him my birthday.
I actually didn't know that, but he was right.
Fox's has long been the favorite stop of HK and a really good friend, Jim Bradford. They met nearly 26 years ago. HK has all the details.
"Saturday, October 16, 1999 at 10:45 AM," HK began. "It was 54 degrees outside that day."
HK and Jim share their story in motivational speaking appearances. On the 27th, they were speaking at Calvary United Methodist Church.
"Their book The Awakening of HK Derryberry is an Amazon Bestseller," an announcer told the room in an introduction. "My good friends, Jim Bradford and HK Derryberry!"
"Good morning!" HK shouted.
"We are honored to be here," Jim added. "Lemme tell ya how this started."
It was July 8, 1990. HK was born at Vanderbilt. His mother had been in a car crash while pregnant with HK. The crash took her life and HK was born three months early.
"45 days after HK was born, he had a brain bleed one day," Jim told the crowd. "That caused him to have a stroke and have cerebral palsy. He has no feeling at all in his right arm."
It was October 16, 1999 that Jim was getting a cup of coffee at a Mrs. Winners in Brentwood. That's when he first met a blind little boy named HK.
"I was 56-years-old," Jim said. "I had never stopped to talk to a person who had a disability."
HK's grandmother was caring for him. She worked at the restaurant and had served Jim the coffee. Jim introduced himself.
HK remembers the conversation verbatim.
"Where do you live?"
"I live in Brentwood."
"What street?"
"Harpeth River Drive."
"What's that off of?"
"Old Hickory Blvd."
"I'm thinking this must be what it's like being interrogated by the FBI!" Jim said as HK laughed.
From that little meeting sprang a wonderful friendship and the discovery of HK's amazing memory.
"When Vanderbilt studied his brain, hyperthymesia was the medical term," Jim said.
That's not all that's amazing about HK.
"No child at the Tennessee School for the Blind had ever learned to use a braille machine if they had the use of just one hand," Jim said. "He can read and write braille!"
HK was accomplishing so much, he decided to offer himself as a quarterback for the Tennessee Vols. He says a coach told him this.
"You are a brave young man, but to play for the Vols you don't weigh enough, and you are not related to Peyton Manning," HK stated matter-of-factly to the laughter of the crowd.
"In the Bible, it's Romans 12:6 that says God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well," HK continued to the crowd. "If you work hard, determine what your capabilities are, maintain a positive attitude, you can accomplish most anything in life within your capabilities. I encourage you all to always be positive."
"You were born on a Wednesday," HK told a woman after the event. "You don't look a day over 18, and I am adoptable."
The money made from these motivational speaking appearances go into a trust for HK's long term care.
Back at Fox's, Jim was thinking about that chance meeting with HK all those years ago.
"Y'know. I think it had to be in the hands of God that morning," Jim said. "I've often thought about it. In his case, he needed a friend. I just so happened to be that person who stopped and become the friend."
"Been a special relationship, hasn't it buddy?" Jim asked HK.
"Yes, it has," he answered. "It's been lovely, lovely, lovely."
Y'know. July 27, 2025. This day's had a lot of good stuff to remember.
By the way, if you want HK and Jim to come speak to your group, visit here.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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