From Paralyzed to Varsity 

Take a look into the way Tyler Groves defied all odds. 

A brisk afternoon in Nashville, Tennessee was the scene of where Tyler Groves almost lost his life.   

Not many athletes at HSE can say that they have experienced a near death experience, however Tyler Groves can. After suffering an injury that left doctors saying that he would never walk again, Tyler Groves is starting varsity for our rugby team. 

“The doctors said that with a little more force,” Groves said, “I would’ve broken my neck and probably would’ve been killed instantly.”  

Groves is thankful that he was only temporarily paralyzed, and that he was able to eventually return to the field to play for the Royals. To this day though, Tyler still faces challenges with playing rugby with the team.  

“I’ve gotten somewhat back to normal,” Groves said, “but I still have some issues with tightness and stuff in my neck.”   

Tyler’s recovery was a long one, being forced to sit out a year and being in a neck brace for multiple months. The process was long and intense, but he is very thankful that he’s been able to get back to where he is.  

“I would’ve been in a wheelchair for the rest of my life,” Groves said. “I would’ve been paralyzed from the neck down and being on a ventilator…not having a very good quality of life.”  

Despite all of the challenges, Tyler has gotten back to close to, if not fully, recovered and is back to playing for the Royals. Despite the doctors saying that he would never walk again, he is practicing with the team and preparing to play his first game in over a year. He has truly defied all odds.                                                                                                                                                                                Story by Turner Graves