Motivational Sport Quotes

Miami Dolphins TE Mickey Shuler and paralyzed South African rugby player draw ...

The last thing he expected was to make a life-altering friendship.

Shuler, 24, got a call one day in early April from his dad’s old college buddy, Kevin Brown , who works as a pre-admission nurse at North Broward Medical Center. There was a patient at his hospital he wanted Mickey to meet. His name is Wikus Botha , and he’s a 20-year-old budding professional rugby player with the top club in South Africa, the Vodacom Bulls.

Botha had come to Fort Lauderdale to take a year off from rugby while rehabilitating a groin injury. But tragedy struck in late March, when Botha was hit by a car while walking on Federal Highway, paralyzing him from the neck down. Shuler went and visited him three weeks after the accident to try to lift his spirits.

“I was just drawn to him because he’s close to my age and an aspiring professional athlete,” Shuler said by phone Tuesday from Pennsylvania. “It hit me really hard. I can’t imagine ever waking up one day in the hospital and paralyzed. I went home and from that point forward, I’ve kept pretty close friends with him.”

The first week of their friendship, Shuler visited Botha at North Broward for six consecutive days. It later morphed into weekly visits, and the two still text each other every day.

Shuler’s goal is to keep Botha’s mind off his injury, so he teaches him about American football, shows him clips of his playing days with the Nittany Lions, listens to Botha’s rugby stories and brings in different motivational quotes and materials. One day he gave Botha an audio copy of Drew Brees’ book, “Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity.”

“He is not only supportive, but compassionate,” Botha said. “We were able to sit and talk sports, which helps me get my mind off of my circumstance.”

Donna Whalen , manager of rehabilitation services at North Broward, said Shuler “has become a really important part of Wikus’ recovery.” Botha’s crushed bones have mostly healed, and four months after the accident, he can now lift his arms over his head and wiggle his toes. Doctors remain hopeful that he will walk one day, and perhaps even make it back to the rugby field.

“Mickey gives Wikus incredible motivation to really push himself,” Whalen said. “Mickey won’t let him give up.”

Shuler said that Botha has helped him, too.

Sports Quotes- Sport quote motivational, Inspirational Sports ...

Beautiful Sports Quotes – Motivational, Inspirational Quotes about Sport:

1. Victory belongs to the most persevering.

2. You are the handicap you must face. You are the one who must choose your place.

3. Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence.

4. There are no gains without pains.

5. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

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