Paralyzed to Powerful: how college rugby star Robert Paylor fought back from a broken neck

Robert Paylor poses with the Cal game jersey that was cut off him when he broke his neck, and a copy of his new book. Photograph: Provided by Robert Paylor

In another world, Robert Paylor might have been playing in Major League Rugby, in his prime at 28, preparing for a US Eagles summer including England in Washington and World Cup qualification.

“When I was an athlete, that was my purpose in life,” he says. “I wanted to be the best rugby player I could be. And in a lot of ways, those dreams were really happening: I was a sophomore competing for Cal’s team, which is not a common thing to do, and I had all those hopes: being an All-American, maybe play professionally, maybe represent the United States. That was my goal. And then in one moment, because of something I couldn’t control, it was gone.”