hen
Rodney Anderson '05 (B.A. human services) wakes up each
morning, the first thing that he sees is his Cal State Fullerton
basketball jersey framed by his bedside. The second is an elaborate
electronic chair that transports him to his shower, bathroom and
gym. Controlled by his new best friend, a futuristic black computer
named Alexander who responds to his commands with a hearty "yes,
Master," the chair offers him virtual freedom—freedom he hasn't
known since 2000, when a gang member's bullets ended his basketball
career in a case of mistaken identity.
The framed jersey and the electronic chair reside inside the new home that Anderson shares with his new wife, Monique, courtesy of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," the runaway hit ABC-TV television show.
If the jersey is a daily reminder of the life he left behind, the chair offers him the promise of freedom.
Rodney Anderson himself is a reminder to Cal State Fullerton of what is right and good about its about its students. Character. Determination. Courage in the face of adversity. He will complete his degree in June after a great struggle, thanks to years of devotion by his family and the support of faculty members, coaches and administrators, including President Milton A. Gordon.
Anderson wasn't around on Dec. 8 when more than 1,500 people came out to the Titan Gym in his honor as No. 4 was retired, but the television program watched by nearly 20 million viewers was there to record the salute. "By anybody's definition," said President Gordon at the time, "Rodney Anderson is a very special student athlete and person… and most deserving of this honor." A permanent replica of Anderson's jersey was hung high on the rafters to chants of "RODNEY." It hangs next to those of Titan basketball greats Leon Wood, Bruce Bowen, Cedric Ceballos and Greg Bunch.
Tears streaming down his face, Anderson watched the program from the Bahamas, where the "Extreme Makeover" program had sent he and his family on a whirlwind trip. "It felt good to be recognized and to know that people care about me," he says, "that I am loved."
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