HIGHLAND — Art E. Berg, a motivational speaker and wheelchair athlete, died Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002, of an apparent reaction to medication. He was 39.
Mr. Berg, president-elect of the National Speakers Association at the time of his death, was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame in 2000. His many honors include 1992 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Utah's Quiet Pioneer in 1993, Consummate Professional Speaker of the Year in 1998, and the International Lions Humanitarian of the Year award in Washington, D.C., in 1998.
At age 21, Mr. Berg was injured in a head-on collision five weeks before his scheduled wedding to Dallas Howard, leaving him a quadriplegic. The two were married 18 months later and eventually wrote about their experiences in "Some Miracles Take Time," which became a regional best seller. The book will be published by Harper Collins in March.
A world-class wheelchair athlete, Mr. Berg played rugby and competed in marathons, including an ultra-marathon of 325 miles between Salt Lake City and St. George. Mr. Berg become a sought-after motivational speaker to audiences that included such Fortune 500 companies as Coca-Cola and IBM.
A 1997 award from the Utah Chapter of the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge honored Mr. Berg for "overcoming the many challenges of adversity, for turning personal tragedy into a positive teaching model, for helping thousands deal productively with their own discouragements . . . "
In 2000, Mr. Berg gave a speech about his favorite poem, "Invictus," to the Baltimore Ravens. The team went on to use the poem as their inspiration, and awarded Mr. Berg a Super Bowl ring after their victory in 2001.
Funeral will be Saturday, Feb. 23, at 11 a.m. at the Highland East Stake Center, 4679 W. 11000 North, Highland. Friends may call today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Berg Mortuary, 185 E. Center St., Provo, and at the stake center Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.