Will grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His lifelong dream of playing football at the University of Michigan came to fruition in 2007 under Hall of Fame Coach Lloyd Carr. At U of M, he was a 4-time Letterman in football, a 4-time Academic All-Big Ten award recipient, and a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. In his senior season of 2011, he started every game at defensive tackle for team 132, which finished the season 11-2 as Sugar Bowl Champions. After graduation, Will lived and worked in Chicago for a time, young people's development, and athletics. Will currently works jointly with the University of Michigan Athletic Department on student-athlete mental health and the Depression Center in Outreach and Education.
Will struggled with depression during much of his time as a U of M player and now he speaks to students and student/athletes about his experience.
While his message is one of depression awareness and suicide prevention, there is a compelling anti-stigma message as well. It's so important for people to realize depression and other mental illnesses aren't anything to be ashamed of, and that they are just like any other illnesses which affect the body.
During his presentation last year, Will said someone asked him, "You play football for U of M, how can you be depressed?" He likened that to saying "You play football for U of M, how can you have cancer?" What a great analogy to illustrate the fact one doesn't choose to have a mental illness any more than one chooses to have cancer.
Will doesn't' have a website, but if you would like to read more about him, please click on one or more of the links below:
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10335925/awareness-better-treatment-college-athletes-mental-health-begins-take-shape
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/01/ex-michigan_dl_will_heininger.html
http://www.freep.com/article/20140128/SPORTS06/301280104/
http://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/depression-news-176/when-football-stars-are-sacked-by-depression-681905.html
