In this powerful and deeply moving episode, Scott Reich sits down with legendary diving coach Cliff Devries, whose story is as much about resilience as it is about the human spirit. Cliff was once on the fast track to becoming one of the top divers in the nation. But everything changed when a shocking diagnosis turned his world upside down.
At just 21 years old, Cliff was told he had a life-threatening spinal tumor with only months to live. His journey from a promising athletic career to a grueling surgery that lasted half a day and ultimately saved his life—but left him partially paralyzed—is one of the most dramatic turns in the world of sports. Featured in ESPN: Cliff Diving, Cliff’s story is a testament to unshakable faith in God, perseverance, and rediscovering purpose when everything seems lost.
Now a beloved diving coach known for his courage and yearly symbolic dive into the pool, Cliff shares his emotional highs and lows, the role of faith in his healing, and how he continues to inspire athletes and non-athletes alike.
This episode is a tribute to the power of the human spirit and a reminder that when life throws you a curveball, sometimes the most beautiful dives come after the fall.
Listeners Will Learn:
- How Cliff rose through the ranks as a promising young diver
- The shocking moment he learned of his tumor — and the prognosis
- How his faith in God carried him through pain, paralysis, and fear to recovery
- The psychological battle of losing physical ability — and regaining purpose
- How Cliff turned personal tragedy into a source of inspiration for others
- The meaning behind his powerful annual dive into the pool
- Life lessons on humility, gratitude, and inner strength from a coach who never gave up
Key Moments:
(00:00 – 03:00) Cliff reflects on growing up as the youngest sibling and how sibling rivalry and family dynamics shaped his drive and competitiveness
(03:00 – 06:00) Cliff’s first introduction to diving, his instant connection with the sport, and the early coaches who recognized his rare talent
(06:00 – 08:30) Being scouted and recruited to one of the nation's best diving programs and the excitement of becoming a Division I athlete
(08:30 – 11:30) Mysterious physical symptoms during training and the moment his parents sat him down and said he had months to live because of a brain and spinal tumor
(11:30 – 15:00) Undergoing a marathon 13-hour surgery at Mount Sinai in New York City when his heartbeat was lost on the operating table
(15:00 – 18:00) Coming out of surgery and realizing he was partially paralyzed and the grief of losing physical movement—and identity as an athlete
(18:00 – 21:00) Choosing to return to the pool—not as a diver, but as a coach and the beginning of a new purpose: helping others achieve what he no longer could physically do
(21:00 – 24:00) Becoming one of the most inspirational coaches in the U.S.
(24:00 – 27:00) His powerful annual dive into the pool — performed with limited mobility
(27:00 – 30:00) A message to anyone facing a curveball: “There’s purpose in your pain.”
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