VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Near-death experience: How a Rochester native’s swift recovery is rebuilding a life on wheels
(Sound of wheelchairs crashing into each other)
Max Williams (Reporter): Three hours every week
(Sound of wheelchairs crashing into each other)
Williams: Chairs crashing
(Sound of wheelchair wheels spinning)
Williams: Wheels grinding
Williams: Sounds that are new to Rochester native Jamie Guglielmo, who joined this local wheelchair rugby group just 10 months ago and he’s still figuring things out.
Jamie Guglielmo: You’re always driving with your shoulders, so by the end of the day, those are in pain.
Chris Hilderbrant (Coach): I think he’s got a lot of potential.
Emilie (Teammate): He’s been doing awesome—he’s getting better and better every single time he comes.
Team Trainer: He’s just a great guy, and we continue to get to know him better with each practice.
Williams: Practicing with this team has been everything to Jamie since the very moment he rolled onto this court.
Jamie: Only missed one week so far.
Williams: Doing what he loved, Jamie was an avid skier. And when you’re on the slopes, like this one here, it’s common to take a fall every so often. But this one was different.
Jamie: I couldn’t move my legs at all. I felt like they were floating up in the air above me… I couldn’t move my fingers.
Williams: It was Jamie’s last run of the day as the sun was quickly fading.
Williams: If you stayed out there later, and ski patrol wasn’t there, you know what would you have done?
Jamie: I might have gotten hypothermic—or maybe even died out there.
Williams: Jamie was rushed to the hospital, where he spent nine hours in surgery. His parents right there by his side, just thankful he was alive.
Peggy Guglielmo (Jamies Mother): We still have him. It didn’t matter. You know, what makes Jamie Jamie is still there.
Jamie spent six weeks in a recovery facility before his family welcomed him in with open arms. But it hasn’t been easy for anyone in this home.
Jamie: I really liked being independent, having the ability to do what I wanted, whenever I wanted.
Peggy: It’s not hard on me—I’m his mom. I think it’s hard on him to be dependent.
Williams: And just like that, months after Jamie became paralyzed, it was time to play in his first tournament. His parents watching proudly.
John Guglielmo (Jamies Father): There have been so many times over the past few months where I look at how Jamie is, and it’s… inspiring.
Jamie: It’s definitely good to be able to get together with a group of people who are, more or less, in the same situation.
Jamie: Drain the bag, fill the bottle and we’re good to go.
Williams: A situation that has changed Jamie’s life, but his family is still… holding onto hope.
Peggy: I’m still holding out that he will walk again.
Williams: Whether on wheels or back on his feet.
John Guglielmo: From the moment we saw him in the hospital, he was worried about work, worried about other people.
Williams: Jamie will always be Jamie.
Williams: Reporting in Rochester,
(Chant “1,2,3 Wreckers!”)
Williams: I’m Max Williams.
(Cheers and applause from the crowd)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) Rochester, N.Y. native Jamie Guglielmo’s life changed dramatically after a skiing accident left him paralyzed. Guglielmo faced the biggest challenge of his life: how he would rebuild a new life in a wheelchair.
After nine months of recovery, he moved in with his parents, and just a month later, he found a new purpose on a local wheelchair rugby team. Guglielmo is still adjusting to the sport; he practices three hours each week and is praised by his teammates and coaches for his dedication and potential.
Guglielmo said adjusting to a new life on wheels has been challenging as he was independent, but now he has to rely on family and friends for daily activities.
His parents have been with him every moment of his recovery. As they look forward, they remain hopeful that one day he will walk again.