Sevigny, Joseph Pierre Alphonse

Born at Beaupre, Quebec; deaf at 5 from mumps and measles. Attended the Mackay Institution for Protestant Deaf-Mutes 1945-1947, the Institution Catholique des Sourds-Muets 1947-1949, Mackay again 1949-1955, Gallaudet College 1955-1961 (B.S.), and Western Maryland College (M.Ed., 1987). During his Gallaudet days, he represented Canada in wrestling at the International Games for the Deaf in Helsinki, Finland, 1961, winning a silver and a bronze medal. While still in college, was invited to try out for the Toronto Argonauts professional football team, but declined because he was in training for the International Games. Became a teacher at the West Virginia School for the Deaf in 1961; that same year, he was solicited as a player for the Montreal Alouettes pro football team and participated in their training camp in the summer of 1962, he decided to remain a teacher, and remained at the West Virginia School at least until 1995. Married Christie Lane Clayton about 1968.