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Three years after suffering a devastating spinal cord injury, Robert Paylor continues to define odds. His determination to overcome all odds has been noted with him winning the N4A Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award.
The award is allocated on an annual basis. It recognizes five NCAA student-athletes who have endured and overcome great personal, academic and / or emotional odds to achieve success while participating in intercollegiate athletics.
Head Coach Jack Clark noted that:
“Robert epitomizes the human spirit and what a truly committed individual can achieve. He is the most inspirational and accomplished athlete I’ve ever coached. He is quite honestly a legend to us.”
His injury left him paralyzed from the neck down he was told by medical experts that he would never walk or move his hands again for the rest of his life. In the weeks that followed, he also battled pneumonia and an inability to swallow or breathe independently. This also resulted in him losing 60 lbs in one month.
The next year, Paylor returned to Berkeley to resume his studies at the Haas School of Business. He will graduate from the program on May 16, 2020 and is to speak at the Cal Athletics virtual ceremony, dubbed the Cal Athletic Senior Celebration & Recognition of Student-Athlete Success.
His miraculous recovery is an inspiration to all. In March he was able to stand on his feet and walk across Witter Rugby Field, down so with the aid of a walker for the first time since his injury. A week later, he was able to get out of his bed and into his walker on his own.
He has posted his progress on twitter. Videos have included the above in addition to him standing up to get out of a car into his walker for the first time as well. They have received more than 2 million views.
Taylor told Berkeley News that:
“I feel so honored to be receiving this award,” said Paylor. “The last three years have been filled with many challenges, and to be recognized for my hard work and perseverance is a tremendous privilege. To be in the ranks of Wilma Rudolph and past award recipients is both humbling and inspiring, as they have shown such courage in overcoming great adversity. I feel so blessed and grateful to have made it to this moment. None of this would have been possible without the support of my family, coaches, teammates, and the amazing community that have been with me every step of the way. They have carried me to achieve great things and have given me an amazing life.”
