Robert Paylor: Paralyzed To Powerful
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08 Apr 2025 |
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 Castro Valley
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Robert Paylor: Paralyzed to Powerful
robertpaylor.com
In one moment, I was experiencing the pinnacle of athletic achievement, competing for the collegiate rugby national championship. In the next moment, my life took an unexpected and devastating turn. I suffered a severe spinal cord injury due to foul play, leaving me unable to move or feel anything below my neck. My doctor's prognosis was grim: I would never walk or move my hands for the rest of my life.
Even in the face of tremendous adversity, I maintained the drive to reclaim my life, but my challenges had only just begun. My rehabilitation journey began with battling spinal fusion surgery, pneumonia, and an inability to swallow, losing 60 pounds in only one month. I had to re-learn almost every basic human function, from feeding myself, to getting dressed, to brushing my teeth.
Rather than let this tragedy define me, I used it as a catalyst for an extraordinary journey of redefining what is possible. Through an unbreakable vision and years of relentless determination, I can now walk 400 yards, I stood to receive my diploma from UC Berkeley’s top-ranked Haas School of Business, and I'm sharing the mental tools that have helped me persevere through paralysis as an inspirational speaker.