Keys’ story to air on ESPN NFL Sunday Countdown

For those who know Mark Keys, they know him to be a man with a positive attitude. He likes to talk sports. He usually doesn’t want to talk about himself, only if it involves making you happy. So, he’ll crack a goofy joke sometimes too.

Some days he lives a simple life, with a walk on Balboa Island or a movie as the highlights. Other days can be rough with a life on permanent disability.

Who is Mark Keys?

You can say the nation is about to get a glimpse, or at least a lot more people are going to know about him. ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown will air a special segment featuring Keys and his book, “My Best Day – Professional Football.”

His story comes on just before the football games begin, at 9:30 a.m. PST, this Sunday.

Keys, a Newport Harbor High alum, likes to say his best day is his wedding day or every day he’s with his family, his wife, Laurie, and two daughters, Page and Megan. This Sunday will be right up there with that.

An ESPN producer, Dominique Goodridge, and a TV camera crew came to Keys’ house Nov. 3 to tape Keys at work and get his story.

His story was featured in the Los Angeles Times in June of 2013, when revered NFL scribe Sam Farmer got to know Keys and wrote about him.

Keys has had several rough days dealing with his disability and effects that come from 34 various surgeries and other ailments for the past 23 years.

Keys receives great support from his family and finds solace and joy in his books. He has had seven “Best Day,” books published. It started out as an idea to ask celebrities and athletes their best day when he wondered what would be the best day for the people who walked by while he watched them on Balboa Island.

He writes, by hand, letters and puts them in self-addressed return envelopes with the hopes of getting personal, meaningful responses to add to his collection.

“I love writing the letters,” Keys told Goodridge during the production. “It makes me concentrate. After I do it, I feel like I hit a home run. It keeps me going.”

The taping on Nov. 3 proved to be hard work for Keys, as the crew followed him for a day around his Costa Mesa condominium and then on Balboa Island. That day was also emotional, as Laurie fought back tears because she knew the event made her husband very happy.

It all seemed surreal for Keys. Definitely a dream come true and a story for all to see this Sunday.