The first time I woke up in the hospital was just after my first emergency surgery. I remember a hand grabbing mine, and I knew it was my brother’s. I squeezed it as hard as I could, just to let him know I was there, to give him hope. He kissed me on my forehead. That’s something I’ll always remember.
I had some low moments in the hospital. I remember staring at the walls at night, feeling like I was going crazy. But the sun would come up the next day, and I’d think: New day, new start.
I came to understand that a large part of recovery from an injury or an illness is mental. If I wanted to walk again, I knew I had to stay positive.
Before the accident, I was a full-time student at Kent State and also worked as a UPS driver. I was very active, playing lacrosse and rugby. I’m a very physical guy. I’ve always been a fan of Muscle Milk® products. Since I was in sixth grade, I would drink one before every game—it was almost like a good-luck charm for me. When I was in the hospital, I felt I wasn’t getting enough protein, so I asked my parents to bring me some Muscle Milk® products. They brought in cases of it.
