RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY | A STORY OF NOLAN TROWE

“After a life-altering injury, when life knocks you down, often we find that it’s not until life throws us extreme personal challenges that we uncover the inner strength and resilience of our character. I used to think my daily problems were significant until I suffered a life-altering injury. This shattered my world and put my life into perceptive real fast. I am alive today and sharing my story. I assure you, this process certainly didn’t happen overnight. Feet don’t fail me now!”- Nolan Trowe, #HighFivesAthlete

ON ONE OF NOLAN TROWE’S FIRST DAYS OFF FOR THE SUMMER HE WENT WITH SOME FRIENDS TO THE EMERALD POOLS NEAR AUBURN AND HAD A DIVING ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN A SPINAL CORD INJURY. HE WAS AIR LIFTED TO SUTTER ROSEVILLE HOSPITAL WHERE HE HAD A FIVE HOUR SURGERY. HE HAD A BURST FRACTURE IN HIS SPINE AND NOW HAS PERMANENT HARDWARE TO KEEP IT STABLE. HE SPENT 4 DAYS IN THEIR NEURO TRAUMA INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO AN ACUTE SPINAL CORD REHABILITATION CENTER AT SANTA CLARA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER IN SAN JOSE.

• Nolan’s Stages of walking
  • Walker
  • Walking sticks without balls (stumble into chair)
  • Walking sticks
  • Walking with canes – drop the canes
  • Walking solo
• Nolan’s next steps forward
  • Driving
  • Going back to work as teacher
  • Applying for NYU
  • Getting into NYU
  • Resilience in the face of adversity