FC Dallas Player On The Road To Recovery
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FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) - An FC Dallas player is making a remarkable comeback after a devastating car crash last month left him worried he might be paralyzed.
Ryan Hollingshead may not be quite ready to be on the field yet, but after breaking his back in three places, he's grateful just to be out of bed. And now his recovery is coming at an impressive pace.
Just because he can't turn his head doesn't mean his feet can't pedal.
Hollingshead was injured after he stopped to help a stranded driver and was hit by another car. He worried he might not ever walk again.
"When you're not in it, you'd do anything to be back in it," Hollingshead said.
Doctors originally told him it could take up to 10 weeks before he could even remove his neck brace. Now teammates are impressed with his drive to recover.
"He's saying like, 'I wish I could be doing two-a-days,' which nobody wishes they could be doing two-a-days, so it shows you how much he wants to be out here," teammate Tesho Akindele said.
Coaches and fellow players gave him a proper welcome home at the first team barbecue of the season.
"This is part of the normal part of being an FC Dallas player, these barbecues and hanging out with his teammates, and so I know he's excited to be here today," FC Dallas owner Clark Hunt said.
Now the team hopes good food and the sight of rookies' shaved heads to mark the beginning of a new season, will be just what the doctor ordered to help speed along a comeback.
"It's inevitable, you're going to pick up injuries. You're going to pick up knocks, and that's a huge part of being a professional is learning how to deal with it, and how to bounce back," Hollingshead said.
Hollingshead said he could have his neck brace off in another week and a half, which would be only five weeks after the crash. At that point he hopes he's only a few weeks of training away from being back in competitive shape.