Former Shriners Children’s St. Louis patient becomes famous micro wrestling announcer

 

Dylan Highley, a former Shriners Children’s St. Louis patient, is making a return to the St. Louis and Metro East area as a sports announcer, commentator and an alternative rock singer.

Highley was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), a condition that causes brittle bones, resulting in 32 broken bones at birth. After several medical consultations at other hospitals, Shriners Children’s St. Louis was pivotal in identifying and treating his condition; setting him on a path that fueled his passion for micro wrestling and announcing today.

Also known as “Ivar,” on stage, Highley is an announcer and member of the Micro Wrestling Federation (MWF) and is featured on the Discovery Channel’s show Big Little Brawlers. The reality series follows a group of wrestlers as they navigate the challenges of the micro-wrestling world. Highley said coming back to the St. Louis area reminds him of all he’s been able to accomplish in life.

“Shriners Children’s provided me care that has helped me live life to the fullest today,” Highley said. “Whenever I went to the hospital, I felt like it was a safe space where kids like me could feel normal. It also gave me the opportunity to meet other patients who had similar conditions to mine. At the time, my mom was a single mom working three jobs, so it really helped us being able to go to a hospital that gave me the best possible care regardless of our family’s ability to pay. I’ve broken nearly 100 bones in my body throughout my life and Shriners Children’s kept me alive during those times. The care I received gave me the confidence I have today to do the job I have now, performing in front of thousands of people each month.”

Highley discovered his passion for announcing when he was attending O’Fallon High School in O’Fallon, Ill., and a teacher introduced him to announcing sporting events. When he attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, he became an announcer for several sports teams at the school. He was in a band for nearly four years, traveling to perform around St. Louis and the surrounding areas. Today, he has his own dedicated fan base, chanting his name in crowds across the country.

“There are fans I meet from all over the world that I have had the chance to inspire,” said Highley. “For any patient going through what I went through, never give up. You can do whatever job you wanna do. Look at me today, I do six to seven shows a week and I’ve traveled all around the U.S. There’s always a kid that freaks out with excitement when I arrive at a new gig. Even though this job is physically draining on my body, I keep pushing through because there’s nothing like that feeling of knowing you’ve inspired.”

MWF is coming to the St. Louis and Metro East area for several shows. They were in Belleville, Ill. on Nov. 7. They will be in Okawville, Ill. on Nov. 16 and St. Peters, Mo. on Nov. 17.

For information on buying tickets or purchasing a cameo, visit online at www.microwrestling.com/tour-dates.

 

About Shriners Children’s

Shriners Children’s improves the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, conducting innovative research, and offering outstanding education programs for medical professionals. Children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care, regardless of the families’ ability to pay, and receive all care and services in a compassionate, family-centered environment. For more information, visit shrinerschildrens.org.