CBS 58's Hometown Athlete: Makhi Rodgers overcomes adversity to wrestle for Brown Deer
BROWN DEER, Wis. (CBS 58) -- This season was pretty special for the Brown Deer wrestling co-op at Messmer and Shorewood high schools, but one hometown athlete's journey back to the mat may have been the inspiration for the entire team.
"Man, this year, it's been a lot. It's been a lot," said Brown Deer senior Makhi Rodgers. "I wasn't able to practice. I was able to lift. I wasn't able to do no activity at all."
For five months, Makhi Rodgers had to step away from the mat. Following a wrestling event in Fargo, N.D. in the summer of 2025, Rodgers was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition where your heart does not pump blood effectively which can lead to shortness of breath, fatigue, or worse. Doctors told him he would not be able to wrestle.
"It was a little sad. I felt sad. I cried a little bit. My mom, she felt a little sad for me because I've been dealing with injuries my whole career," said Rodgers.
"It's almost like a part of your family. And to see him struggle and, to see the anguish on his face when he sees us out there wrestling and he can't wrestle with us, it's kind of hard," said Julian Gladney, Brown Deer co-op wrestling coach.
Saddened, Rodgers stayed patient.
"God, honestly, just praying," said Rodgers. "Just praying, praying every day, doing what I'm supposed to: eating the right foods, taking the right medication, just staying disciplined. I always had in the back of my mind that I could come back. I always told myself I could come back, I could come back, I could come back. I'm never a quitter."
Doctors cleared Rodgers just before the sectional tournament, but with conditions.
"I've got to monitor my heart rate. I've got to monitor my blood pressure. I've got to make sure I'm taking my medicine every single day, my vitamins, everything. It's a lot that comes with it, but I'm willing to do it in order to step on the mat," said Rodgers.
"The timing couldn't have been better for him to come back, in those last couple of weeks," said Gladney.
Rodgers returned in time to not only wrestle, but to qualify and place fifth at the individual state meet. The following week he helped the Falcons reach the semifinals at their first ever state team meet. But it was far from easy.
"Most people go out there with a full gas tank, but I go out there on half a gas tank automatically, just based on my condition. It's hard, but I love it," said Rodgers. "Like I love the hardness. I love being gritty. I love having to go through the hardships and seeing it through."
Makhi wrestles with his family on the team. He and his cousins made state, as did his little brother Mykell.
"This is a very special year because I'm a freshman. All my cousins are seniors. So, we made it the best we could. We both, we all gave it our all for the last year that we'll be together in high school. And it's very special because one day, you know, we'll be sitting together in college one day," said Mykell.
Makhi will continue to monitor his health as long as the doctors tell him to, because he's always wrestled for more than himself.
"I lost my father when I was 9 years old and it was kind of ... it was a little hard for me, but I always think I do it for him. I know he'd be proud of me," said Rodgers. "My mom ... I almost wanted to quit wrestling. My mom, she told me to stay in it. My uncle slash coach, he drilled it into us when we were younger. So, it's just like a lot of things that go into it of why I want to keep doing it."
Rodgers will continue to prove himself next year wrestling at Gardner-Webb.