Maurice, a high school athlete, had a lot of attention from college football scouts. His hopes were high for a scholarship to continue his education while furthering his love of the sport.  But all that changed during the first game of the season in August 2018.

“I was playing defensive end, a teammate missed a tackle and crashed into me.  I immediately went down and couldn’t feel anything from my knee down.  I was very scared.”

Maurice had multiple torn ligaments in his leg and knee, along with 60% nerve damage.  Dr, Henry Goitz, a DMC sports medicine specialist performed surgery to reconstruct and reattach his ligaments.  His mother Latosha never told him how serious the injury was; she wanted him to stay focused on a full recovery.

After surgery, Maurice went to Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s outpatient center in Harper Woods, where physical therapists worked on stretching, strengthening and getting him walking.  He says they really motivated him and four months later he was running again.  

Maurice had a second surgery at DMC to further repair his ligaments and began his rehabilitation all over again at RIM.

“There was no question of where I’d rehab. They got me running the first time, I knew they would do it the second time too.”

Just one year after his accident, Maurice is in top condition and back on the field. 

“I was definitely excited for that first game.  All my therapy got me in such good shape, and I am stronger and better than I was before, but I was also a little nervous.  It helped knowing that I had so many people rooting for me from RIM.” 

Maurice hopes his strength, determination and skill will catch a scout’s eye this season so that he can take his game to bigger and better stadiums in the future.