In 2011, the Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, had a serious knee injury during the game against the Washington Redskins. He tore his ACL and MCL due to those areas taking the brunt of a tackle. After sustaining the injury, Peterson’s career was expected to come to a halt.
However, he underwent surgery and rehabilitation, then made a remarkable comeback and achieved astounding success. The first game Peterson played upon his return was in the 2012 season, where he had an exceptional performance and nearly broke the single-season rushing record.
At the age of 13, Bethany Hamilton sustained a brutal shark attack that swept the media into a storm. The attack ended with her losing her arm, but that didn’t stop Hamilton from doing what she loves, with style and ease! Her story has inspired many with her resilience and determination.
Hamilton lost significant amounts of blood, but survived and recovered thanks to the quick-minded and loving people surrounding her. It was 26 days after the attack that Bethany returned to the water and adapted her swimming and surfing techniques. She then won her first national title within two years and went on to professional status.
The best gold player ever, Tiger Woods, has sustained several back injuries that affected his career and could have made him retire the golf club. His golf swing places strain on his spine, which became the root of his long-lasting back problems. He’s had microdiscetomies, a lumbar fusion, and, recently in 2024, a microdecompression surgery.
Wood’s back issues have caused him to miss tournaments and withdraw from events. Despite this, he still persevered. In 2019, he won the Masters! With his surgeries, he was able to reduce his pain and regain mobility, leading to a significant win.
The infamous tennis player had an injury in 2010 when she stepped on a piece of glass and sustained a lacerated tendon. This required her to undergo surgery, and she had to withdraw from several tournaments. Then, in 2021, Williams withdrew from the Yarra Valley Classic due to a right shoulder injury.
After her foot injury, she returned to the Eastbourne International in June 2011. Then she entered Wimbledon and won her first-round match. Despite her injuries, she continued in her tennis career with resilience and determination!
The NBA MVP suffered many knee injuries in his career. Derrick Rose tore an ACL in his left knee in 2012 and had several meniscus tears in both knees. The ACL tear forced him to miss the entire season.
Rose has had several serious injuries, but despite this, he returned to the NBA. He’s had degrees of success with many teams, including the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and currently the Memphis Grizzlies.
Terrell Suggs had two torn Achilles tendons throughout his career. The first one was in 2012 when it was believed it was a full tear, but was later revealed to be a partial one. He astoundingly returned that same season to play after missing six games.
Suggs’s comeback amounted to playing in eight games and contributing to the Ravens’ Super Bowl win. Terrell had determination, hard work, and resilience that helped him return with a bang!
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the extremely skilled gymnast Kerri Strug made a notable performance on the vault. During her first vault attempt, she injured her ankle, but despite this painful injury, she continued with her second vault. She landed it with bravery, despite being in pain, and secured the U.S. women’s gymnastics team its first-ever Olympic gold medal.
After her astounding performance, she collapsed in pain and was carried off the platform. Even though she landed her second vault in visible pain, she received a high score of 9.712! Kerri Strug’s determination and resilience are ones to admire and be inspired by.
The skilled soccer player, Alex Morgan, tore her ACL when she was only 17 years old. She was on the path to the Olympics, and then tragedy struck. This was expected to end Morgan’s career, but she defied the odds. Five years after enduring the injury, she went on to make an exciting comeback.
Morgan scored the goal against Canada that prompted the U.S. to the gold-medal game at the London Olympics. Before this, she was playing at the University of California at Berkeley, only five months after her torn ACL. She had a short recovery time but showed exceptional skills!
The basketball player overcame a leg fracture of his tibia and fibula during a USA Basketball exhibition. His leg landed awkwardly and buckled, resulting in a serious leg injury. Paul George was expected to miss the entire 2014-15 season, but returned to play in the last few games.
Although the injury proved to be a major setback, George made a remarkable recovery. He’s now returned to being a top player in the NBA. Paul regained his All-Star form and was even named to the All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team in the 2015-16 season.
Maria Sharapova, a renowned tennis player, endured a shoulder injury where she tore her rotator cuff. She had to withdraw from the Rogers Cup tournament and from the rest of the season, including the Beijing Olympics, U.S. Open, and WTA Tour Championships.
Despite the challenges of her injury, Sharapova returned with ferocity and determination! She became the top of the tennis world, achieved the world number one ranking, and completed a career Grand Slam. The skilled tennis player pushed through her injuries and came back on top!
Sue Bird has sustained many injuries during her basketball career. She’s had multiple knee injuries that caused her to miss the entire 2013 and 2019 seasons. In 2020, she had a bone bruise in her knee. Then, in a playoff game, she collided with an opponent and received a broken nose and orbital bone.
Despite these numerous injuries, she returned to the court to play in all six postseason games to help the Seattle Storm win the 2020 WNBA Championship. She continued to play in the playoffs while having a bone bruise in her left knee.
The U.S. gymnast had a scary encounter that could have ended his career. At the DTB Cup in Germany, Malone dismounted from the high bar, and as he went for the dismount, he knew something was wrong. Upon landing, he injured his right knee, which put a stop to his 2023 season and cast doubt on his 2024 Olympic aspirations.
Despite this serious injury, Malone returned and earned a spot on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. His comeback was a worthy display of resilience and determination. His performance in the esteemed games was a sight to see and a great display of his talent.
