Pleasanton Teen Paralyzed In Wrestling Accident Celebrates Milestones

PLEASANTON (KPIX 5) – A wrestling accident left Myles Molnar paralyzed from his chest down a year ago, but the Pleasanton teen hasn't let that get in the way of his goals.

"Having a will and then thinking outside the box. Those two things have really helped me more than anything really," Molnar said.

"Well, it changed my world, definitely," Molnar said. He was 15 years old and on a wrestling team in Abu Dhabi. His family moved there temporarily for his father's work.

A routine wrestling move with a teammate dislocated his C5 and C6 vertebrae and compressed his spinal cord.

"I remember everything that happened that day," he said.

He was taken to Craig Hospital in Colorado, which specializes in spinal cord injuries.

"I have pretty good control over my shoulders and then my biceps are both fives, which is full movement," he said.

Back home in Pleasanton, and one year later, Myles Molnar is celebrating many 'Mylestones.'

One year since the accident, he took to the ski slopes, using adaptive ski equipment. Molnar said that experience "was awesome."

"There's wheelchair rugby," Molnar said. "I definitely do want to do that."

Frank Molnar, Myles' father said, "It's quite challenging, it's very challenging. But we have a lot support and he's easy going, easy to work with. I love him dearly and nothing I wouldn't do for him."

And Myles Molnar has big plans for his future.

"I'm going to get my driver's license," he said, although he's not sure exactly when yet.

And while it has been a challenging year -- and health insurance doesn't cover the cost of all of his rehabilitation -- on this one year mark, he says it does get easier and it keeps getting better.

"I did read somewhere, it was a quote: 'It's easy to be strong when being strong is the only option' and I really feel like that fits," Molnar said.