Imagine waking up in a hospital bed, barely conscious, with a team of doctors around you discussing a life-threatening situation. That’s exactly where Alex Smith, a professional football quarterback, found himself, battling a severe infection following a gruesome injury.

Smith’s injury, a compound spiral fracture to his leg, wasn’t just a career-altering moment but a life-changing one. Two weeks earlier, during a game, two defenders had tackled him, causing his leg to twist and snap like a corkscrew. As he lay on the field, he knew his season was over, but he couldn’t foresee the gravity of what lay ahead.

“I knew right there on the field that my season was done. What took me a little longer to figure out was that my life was about to change forever.”

A Battle Beyond the Physical

Smith’s severe injury led doctors to perform a risky procedure: transplanting muscle from his healthy thigh to his damaged leg, hoping it would take. Hourly, medical staff checked for a pulse in the new tissue, while Smith hid behind a white sheet, struggling not just with the sight but with accepting his new reality.

For months, he grappled with his fears and doubts. Confined to a wheelchair and dependent on his wife for even the most basic tasks, he questioned his future. The injury wasn’t just a physical setback; it spiraled his life into a cycle of self-doubt and introspection.

“Was I ever going to walk again? Play catch with my kids again? Wrestle with them on the living room floor? All this for a stupid, meaningless game?”

This was not the first time Smith had faced such mental turmoil. He reflected on the early days of his career when he was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight as the first overall pick in the NFL draft. The pressure and expectations weighed heavily on him, causing severe anxiety and self-doubt.

However, during his journey, he encountered key people who helped shift his mindset and overcome these internal battles.

The Turning Point

Coach Jim Harbaugh and teammate Blake Costanzo played a huge role in changing Smith’s perspective. Harbaugh, known for his unbothered demeanor, would repeatedly tell the team, “Play as hard as you can, as fast as you can, for as long as you can. And don’t worry.”

These words started to resonate with Smith, providing a much-needed counterweight to his spiraling thoughts.

Costanzo, a linebacker on the team, had a different approach. Before games, he would energize his teammates, asking, “Are you going to live today? I’m going to live today, are you?“ At first, Smith didn’t understand, but gradually, he realized that Costanzo was challenging them to live fully in the moment, free from fear and doubt.

These influences helped Smith regain his footing, both mentally and physically. But when his leg became infected, the mental battles returned.

“You might as well have taken that white sheet I was hiding behind and draped it over my face because I wasn’t really living,” he reflected. It was only when he started rehabilitating at the Center for the Intrepid, a military facility specializing in severe injuries similar to his, that he found his way back.

Finding Purpose in the Struggle

At the Center, Smith faced intense physical and mental challenges. His therapist, Johnny Owens, reignited his motivation by handing him a football, reconnecting him with a core part of his identity.

Having gone months without touching a football, Smith felt a renewed sense of purpose, which drove him to embrace the difficult recovery process. Determined to not only return to the game but also to reclaim his passion for life, he focused on living for a meaningful goal.

This mindset enabled him to push through numerous setbacks and ultimately return to the field 693 days after his injury.

The Wrap

Smith’s experience underscores a valuable lesson: the real triumph in life is overcoming the toughest challenges, not just enduring them. His journey back to the field wasn’t about the physical act of returning; it was about the inner resilience and determination that got him there.

Embracing these experiences allows us to grow stronger and live more fully, proving that we can overcome even the hardest obstacles when we focus on what truly matters.