Patrick Henry Hughes brings his motivation and music to Cape Girardeau

At times his fingers fluttered across the keys, others they gently glided. Wheelchair on stage, his body would occasionally sway toward the piano and he would slowly turn his head, moving with the music. He played intricate pieces completely by feel and routine. Patrick Henry Hughes could not see the keys.

Playing a wide range of music — from a jazzy version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to Ray Charles' raspy "Georgia," sunglasses included, Hughes mixed humor with candor to deliver a motivational message Friday.

Hughes' story is one of overcoming obstacles and remaining positive. Born without eyes or the ability to straighten his limbs, Hughes, 20, has not let his disability impede his life. With the help of his father, Patrick John Hughes, he plays in the marching band at the University of Louisville, where he is a junior majoring in Spanish. Together, they spend countless hours practicing on the field, where dad pushes and son plays the trumpet. They go to class together, and Patrick Henry Hughes received straight A's last year. Throughout it all, he maintains that his disability is not really a disability at all.

"We all have challenges, obstacles and pressure. We make them as big as we want to," Patrick John Hughes said.

Father and son were in town to help raise money for the Suzuki Strings, a group of local student violin players that use the  Suzuki instructional method. Their instructor, Hays Hendricks, is an old family friend of the Hughes.

The Southeast Missouri Music Academy students are trying to raise money to attend the Singapore International String Conference in December. The Hugheses waived their speaking fee to help the group meet their goal.

By a show of applause, nearly everyone in the audience indicated they were familiar with Patrick Henry Hughes' story. They had come to be inspired and to hear him play.

During his hourlong performance and speech at Cape First Church, Patrick Henry Hughes played pieces from multiple genres, including jazz, country and classical. Speaking with a southern drawl, he told the crowd he learns music by listening to a tape, playing along with it, and then working until he can get it up to tempo.

His dad said that his son is a gift, although it took him a short while to realize it.

"My wife had a picture-perfect pregnancy. ... For a long time, we questioned why us? We played by all the rules, we did everything we were supposed to." He said he had dreams of Patrick Henry playing on a football field in front of thousands.

His dream did come true, just in a different form: Patrick Henry wears a marching outfit instead of a football uniform. "Patrick showed me all the things I had to be grateful for," he said.

Previously, the father worked throughout the night at UPS, would sleep in the morning, and then attend classes and practice with his son. He has since taken a leave of absence to help his son in school and to travel. The pair gives motivational speeches around the country and gets more requests than they can fill.

Patrick Henry Hughes has become somewhat of an unintentional celebrity. His story has been heard nationally on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Oprah," among others, and the family received a new home through ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" this year.

He has a CD and in October will release a book called "I Am Potential."

"You have to trust that you will achieve your goal, eventually," he said.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

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Patrick Henry Hughes performs "America the Beautiful"