SAN MARCOS – Texas State football player Brian Guendling has been receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from people all over the world after he performed "Uptown Funk" in sign language at a bar in San Marcos, Texas.
"My main goal is to bring music to the deaf community," said Guendling.
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Guendling is originally from San Diego, California. His father, former San Diego Chargers linebacker Mike Guendling, is the middle child of two other brothers who are mentally challenged. When his mother was pregnant with him, doctors told her he would have a high risk of a mental disability because of his uncles. Guendling didn't end up saying his first words until he was 4 years old, and grew up in special education programs until he was in high school.
"I grew a passion from being around them (special needs kids)."
Guendling became a mentor and someone special needs kids would look up to. He volunteered to coach baseball for mentally disabled kids and attended several special needs events in high school.
Guendling took a sign language class at a local university in San Diego in his junior year and said he absolutely loved it.
"I thought it was cool that I could talk to these deaf kids."
In 2014, Guendling got an opportunity to play football at Texas State University and shortly became friends with several deaf and hard of hearing people. He asked his deaf friends to join him at a bar, but they declined saying it would be too awkward for them. He then asked if anyone had been to a concert. They all responded "no," but had always wanted to experience one. He later thought of the idea of putting on a sign language concert.
He gathered a few of his Texas State football teammates and put on a performance on June 19 to Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" in sign language at Nephews Bar in San Marcos. Many people attended the concert, including seven of his deaf friends.
"The look on their faces was so inspiring. A kid told me it was his first time he had seen a concert. The look in his eyes was so heart-touching."
Blue Lens Productions recorded the performance and posted it on YouTube. It didn't take long for that video to be seen by tens of thousands. Guendling said he has been getting messages from deaf and hard of hearing people from all over the world, thanking him for bringing awareness to their community. He said by doing this, he wants to bring the deaf and hearing community together.
"I appreciate all the support from the news stations promoting the deaf community. It's a very exciting opportunity."
Guendling said since deaf and hard of hearing have different ways of signing, he will be posting exact signs on his YouTube Channel so that deaf and hard of hearing can sign along together during concerts, just as the hearing sings along to songs.
Guendling expects to perform another sign language concert in the next few months and wants to travel the world to perform.
Watch the full video of the concert here.
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Many have asked me, "What made you come up with this idea of wanting to help the Deaf and Hard of Hearing"? It all started when I met my Dads brothers who are both blind and mentally challenged. They are unable to walk at times, eat, bath, or doing anything by themselves. Now, at ages 55 and 51 they only have the mental capacity of a very young child. My dad always felt fortunate because he was born in between both of them and not only was he born without any handicaps but he also made it to the NFL. While playing college football, which is very time consuming, he would still find time to see and interact with his brothers and also give his time to the Big Brother programs in Evanston which he mentored several young men. My father ended up getting drafted 33rd pick (5th pick of the second round) in the 1984 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers where he was able to raise his family and often do speaking engagements and fund raisers to help the handicapped. When my Mom got pregnant with me the doctors told her that there was a good possibility I was going to be just like my dad's brothers due to test results. I didn't speak until age 4 and growing up in pre-school all the way to my senior year of high school I was enrolled in the Special Education Program. I would get pulled out of class 3 times a week to work on my grammar as well as my memory with other special needs students. I was around them so much I grew a passion for them and loved being around them. During my junior year of high school I had to take a foreign language class and decided to take American Sign Language at the local University. I absolutely fell in love with it and thought it was so awesome to be able to talk to the deaf. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to help coach a mentally challenged/ deaf baseball team and I would donate my Saturdays to the special needs. I hung out with many deaf kids in San Diego once I learned fluent sign language and I still keep in touch with them today all the way from Texas. Currently I play college football for Texas State University and I have met a wonderful group of deaf people here. I drive an hour away a few days out of the week to hang out with them. I ask them all, "Do you guys want to go out to the bars with me?" and they all respond, "Why when we cannot associate ourselves with the crowd and it would be awkward for us to just stand in the corner of the bar?". Then I asked other deaf people in Texas and California if they have ever been to a concert. ALL responded "NO"!! But every single one of them replied that they would WANT TO ATTEND A CONCERT! When I told them about my idea of performing sign language during concerts they all got so excited, and told me to do it. Remember the deaf are NO DIFFERENT THEN WE ARE. The fact that the year 2015 is here and they have not been able to enjoy club life and concerts UPSETS ME. For all the hearing, we can all agree that most of the friends, girlfriends/ boyfriends, and memories you have made is because of nightlife. My love for the deaf community goes THOUGH THIS ROOF. This is why I am here today. I am here to bring the fun of going to clubs and concerts for those that never experienced it before that would like to. I will provide wonderful entertainment for all to enjoy, (the hearing and the deaf TOGETHER for the first time ever). Now everyone will have the same equal opportunity to meet new friends, socialize, and dance with other friends across your town/state. I plan on having my next performance in about 1 month from now in central Texas. I will be doing several songs that will make you laugh, dance, and put smiles on all your faces. For the deaf/ hard of hearing, everyone has different ways of signing, so I will be posting the exact signs on my YouTube channel a week prior to performance so you can all sign along with each other just like how the hearing sing along together. I will post my performance dates, times, songs, and locations on my social media accounts.