The Day it All Changed: Peter

Peter (not his real name) was a footballer. He had always wanted to be a footballer, had paid no real attention to anyone at school, and had dedicated his life to becoming a footballer. When he got an apprenticeship with a minor club he was delighted. The club insisted that he go to college alongside his training with them, and he obediently attended when instructed, politely ignoring all attempts to educate him further. He was, his friends remember, perfectly polite and totally idle.

Things were different at training sessions; he worked and slaved at perfecting his football skills and was rewarded at the age of 17 with a place in the First Team. He played several seasons, a really good defender, and was eventually taken on by a more successful team. All that he had dreamed of was coming true.

Then in a scuffle in the area he went down.  The pain was awful and he knew he was in trouble. Stretchered off and taken to hospsital he was told what he already knew: his leg was broken. In traction in a hospital bed he fretted and strained, when discharged he did everything the physio told him, and prepared to get back into training. Day by day he worked at it, did everything just right, ate the right foods to help repair it all.

The day came when they had to tell him. He would not be playing any more football. The leg would never recover. The aims to which his life had been entirely devoted would now never be achieved.

A black time followed. He drank too much, stayed at home alone, turned his friends away, and refused help and advice from anyone who dared to offer it. His life was over. There was nothing to live for. Then he realised that, at 25, he was not going to die, no matter how hard he tried.

Finally he enrolled in the local college and began the education he had ignored for all those years. He’s in his second year of a BTec in Computing and is doing rather well, considering. Sometimes he surprises himself with what he can do. He isn’t a high-flying student - but he’s not stupid and he will qualify at the end of the year. Then he’s going to university. Now who would have believed that? His old mates are amazed when they hear what has happened. It had been easy to write him off as ‘a bit thick’.  And he isn’t. The motivation that he is bringing to this new course of things isn’t what he had for his football. But he’s not prepared to sit and bemoan his loss forever.

He might even have time for a girlfriend and a family in a few years. Nothing high-flown, of course, because he’s never going to be rich now, but he’s going to be a success in what he does. He’s overcome probably the worst thing that will ever happen to him - it’s all easy (ish) from now on!

Tags: broken leg, football, rebuilding life