Ryan Beale was just a normal college kid playing lacrosse for Lynchburg College until he was thrown from his car in an accident, which left him paralyzed. HamptonRoads.com published an article about his courage and will to still do what he loves. He's become role model for his teammates and continues to show up to practice every day he can.
Beale was home on fall break two years ago when his Jeep ran off Route 10, about five miles from his home. He was on his way back from Smithfield and was searching for a song on the video display screen of his stereo.Continue Reading...
He was thrown from the car and broke his neck.
"We called the guys together and gave them the news, as much as we knew," Koudelka said. "At first you hope for the best. Over time, I think slowly but surely the guys started to understand this could be a permanent thing."
Beale was one of the team's more imposing players, a 6-foot-4 long-stick midfielder from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy who was growing into a leader at the start of his junior year. During a series of conditioning tests called the "Day of Champions," he led the defense against the offense. In one of the contests, players carried tires up and down a steep hill in a relay. Beale came down with six, draping them around his arms and neck, like a human Michelin Man.