A true American hero shared an inspirational message with Kansas University’s men’s basketball team Wednesday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.

Steve Palermo, who was shot and temporarily paralyzed in 1991, chatted with the Jayhawks for 30 minutes before practice about overcoming adversity.

The 53-year-old former major-league umpire was shot while trying to stop a mugging of two waitresses July 7, 1991, outside a Dallas restaurant. He still suffers from excruciating pain in his back, hips, hamstring and calves.

“The motivation he had to walk again is the same thing we need to have as a team to be successful,” KU junior guard Keith Langford said.

“Just to hear him speak is a motivation to me. If you can listen to that and not take something out of it, I don’t know what kind of person you are.”

Back in ’91, Palermo, who was shot in the back by a man eventually sentenced to 75 years in prison, was told by doctors he’d never walk again.

He has proved them wrong.

Thanks to daily therapy, Palermo, who works as baseball’s supervisor of umpires and as an assistant to the commissioner, is able to walk with the use of a cane.

Former major league baseball umpire Steve Palermo, left, talks with Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self during practice. Palermo was shot while trying to stop a mugging in 1991 and has proved wrong the doctors' prognosis that Palermo never would walk again. He spoke to the Jayhawks before practice Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.

“It was an informal meeting today to let those kids know where I came from, that you can have setbacks, supposedly can be knocked down, can have nothing going right in your life, and you can overcome all that,” said Palermo, who lives in Overland Park.

“You could see it in those kids’ eyes, they have probably overcome a lot just to get here, one of the premier programs in college athletics. These kids have a heck of an opportunity. They are very, very gifted and should feel good about where they are at.”

Palermo’s message seemed to hit home.

“His was a good story to listen to,” freshman David Padgett said. “He talked about everything, how he worked his way up from the bottom, how he’s successful in what he does. I’ve heard about him before because I’m a big baseball fan. It was an honor to listen to him.”

Palermo met with coach Mark Mangino and the KU football team before the season opener against Northwestern.

“Don’t blame the loss on me,” Palermo quipped of the loss to the Wildcats. “I talked two or three days before the season, not the day of the game.”

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