By: Rylee McAlexander
Baylee Burns may seem like any other student-athlete at Howard Payne University, but she has had a long and unique journey to get where she is today.
Burns is a junior social work major with a minor in psychology from Krum. She came to Howard Payne after being recruited to play volleyball.
Burns lived a typical life until she was about 15 years old, when she was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease. Fifteen is the youngest age people can be diagnosed with the condition.
“My world flipped upside down. I went from never getting sick to taking multiple medications, getting blood work and seeing so many doctors,” Burns said.
The diagnosis put Burns’ athletic career in question. She did not know if she would ever touch a volleyball again.
“I was so sick that my doctors were not sure if I would be able to come back to sports,” Burns said. “I struggled with accepting this news because sports had been my whole life.”
Burns eventually returned to athletics and was later recruited by Howard Payne, but the challenges did not stop there.
“I had to make a lot of adjustments when going off to college, such as looking for resources and finding a doctor I could go to in Brownwood,” Burns said.
Burns said leaving home also meant losing the daily support system she had relied on from her family, and adapting to that was difficult.
Former volleyball coach Nick Noll said Burns stands out both as a player and as a person.
“She is the athlete that always gives full effort in every drill and is always lifting up the people around her,” Noll said.
Noll added that even though Burns has lupus, she does not let it define her or hold her back.
“There are times when her body is exhausted, yet her heart and determination are never questioned,” Noll said. “She pushes through with quiet strength and sets an incredible example for her teammates of what true grit looks like.”
Junior Staff Writer, Rylee McAlexander