My name is Brian Boyle and I am 20 years old. I have been an athlete for all of my life, starting at a young age with swimming, and also doing other sports such as basketball, indoor and outdoor,
track and field, powerlifting, and just started doing amatuer bodybuilding for
fun to stay in shape. When I was in high school, I became a state champion
swimmer, nationally ranked in discus, and a champion powerlifter. However, a
month after I graduated from high school, I was on my way home from swim
practice when I was hit by a speeding dump truck at 66 miles per hour, while
crossing a local intersection. The impact of the crash knocked me into a two
month coma where I was put on life support, heart was knocked across my chest,
lost 60% of my blood, lost 100 pounds from being in the hospital for so long,
severe nerve damage to my left shoulder, broken clavicle/ribs/pelvis,
possibility of brain damage, and so many other injuries where I died 8 times. As
each day went along in my hospitalization period, they said that I was in God's
hands; it was unsure whether I would leave my hospital room in a wheelchair or a
body bag. In all actuality, I was the worst patient in the unit for many weeks
besides those who were on their way to the morgue. I died eight times but each
time I was brought back to life only to suffer more.
There I was laid out on a table, screaming, sweating, and barefoot to the floor.
I was on drugs that were two-hundred times stronger than morphine, and
painkillers that drug addicts would give their lives for. I would go through
withdrawals so severe that my body would lose total control and go into
convulsions; I would have to hold my legs together in the fetal position for
hours so I would stop shaking. The doctors asked my parents if I was the only
child, and when they heard that I was, they burst out in tears because they said
that I was not going to make it.
It was a horrifying experience, especially when I tried to look out of my room
and saw nurses pushing stretchers by with white sheets covering the patients
because they were not as lucky as me. Several nurses and doctors came into my
room every five minutes or so to check up on me just to witness this miracle
that everyone kept talking about. My parents would come into my room and would
stand there and hysterically cry the whole time, and try and explain to me the
situation that I was in. They told me that I was in a car accident with a few
broken bones, and that I was going to be leaving the hospital in a few days. The
truth of the situation was that I was struck by a speeding dump truck on my
driver's side door of my Camaro, and a few broken bones turned out to be life
threatening injuries; when your heart is knocked across to the other side of
your chest, there really is not much hope for you. However, the hope that I had
is one of the reasons why I am still here.
I don't like to admit it, but there came a time when I was in the hospital where I
wanted to throw in the towel and give up, I said my final prayers and was ready to
face death because the pain was so overwhelming. However, my parents came in
for visiting hours that day and they could tell that I wasn't fighting anymore and that
I had given up. Call it tough love, but my dad started raising his voice and desperately
yelling at me not to give up and not to quit. I could see the fire in his eyes as he
looked at his baby boy dying right in front of him, and it was in that moment, where
I had to fight like never before, not for me, but for my mom and dad because if I
didn't make it, they wouldn't have either. After they left for visiting hours, I started
trying to strengthen the muscles in my face so I could hopefully give them a smile
the next time they came in. And sure enough, when they came back, they knew
that I was still there and that I wasn't going anywhere.
I will never forget the day that my respiratory therapist, Tony, taught me how
to talk again with help from a voice box. He hooked the box up to my neck, and I
just starting talking. I could not believe I was talking, and neither could
anybody else because everyone thought I had brain damage. All the nurses and
doctors came running in and they all broke out in tears instantly when they saw
me. My parents came running around the corner because they had just arrived for
visiting hours, and they were awestruck. I remember telling my dad that
everything was going to be okay, and he couldn't keep his composure and just
burst into tears. It truly was a miraculous day.
Like I said, before the accident I was a state champion swimmer, nationally
ranked discus thrower, and champion powerlifter, but after the accident, I was
nothing more than a skeleton. My dreams of going to college and swimming on the
team were over. I was told that I would never have a life after that. I was told
that I would never walk again because of the severe damage to my pelvis, so I
worked hard to not only walk but run. I was told that I would never be able to
swim, but worked hard to actually get to the point where I was able to swim on
my collegiate swim team this past year and was one of the fastest swimmers in
the conference and was the fastest swimmer on my team. I was told that I would
never be able to lift weights again because of the severe nerve damage to my
left shoulder, so I worked hard to get to the point where I could bench 325 lbs.
(which happened two months ago). I remember when I was in my physical
rehabilitation center, I was able to only bicep curl 2.5 lbs. and now I'm
curling 60 lbs. for reps on each arm. I guess I was told a lot things, but the
doctors and physical therapists never factored in the power of determination,
and that is one thing that kept me alive from the get go.
This all happened two years ago but it still feels likes yesterday to me. Since
then, I have used my story to hopefully inspire others, and inspire the families
of people who were going and who are currently going through what my family and
I went through. I have written a book that will be published hopefully soon
about my life before and after the accident, and also a series of workout books
that I constructed using all of the exercises that I did through physical
therapy and getting back on my feet.
Besides that, I am in my second year of college, and am currently studying to
become a personal trainer. I also have a foundation at the hospital where I was
saved, and am sponsored by a muscle supplement company out of British Columbia
who is sponsoring my amatuer bodybuilding career, but mainly sponsoring my story
itself.
I know there comes a time in everybody's life when they feel broken and can't go on, and those are the moments that I believe define who we are as human beings and what kind of character we have. Always fight the good fight, and no matter how hard it gets, never quit, Never Quit. Stay strong.
- Brian Boyle
You can add me as a friend if you would like, and message me anytime.
