Person of the Week: Mike Fritschner

Jan. 2, 2008— -- Mike Fritschner seems like your average high school senior. But as he plans to go to college, talk to any of his friends and they'll tell you he's already taught as many lessons as he's learned.

Before his sophomore year, the 6-foot-4 athlete from Bell Canyan, Calif., earned a spot on the varsity football team. Fritschner, always an athlete, had been a captain and MVP of every team since 5th grade. The varsity team was the next step in his dream to play quarterback at the University of Texas.

But before the season started, Fritschner went on a family vacation to Hawaii and decided to try surfing for the first time.

"I was probably out there for like, 20 minutes," Fritschner said. "And then, I stood up on one leg. I felt like a little pop in my back."

As Fritschner paddled back in, his father sensed immediately that something was wrong.

"He said, 'Dad, my back just really, really hurts,'" his father, Walt Fritschner recalled. "And I said, 'Well, can you walk?' He said, 'Well, I, I think so.'"

At that moment, Fritschner's legs collapsed. After an MRI, Mike was diagnosed with a condition known as "surfer's myelopathy." Doctors believe that while arching his back on the surf board, Fritschner's spinal cord was hyper-extended, starving it of oxygen.

The extremely rare phenomenon often causes paralysis, as it did for Fritschner. He was paralyzed from the waist down.

Fritschner immediately began physical therapy, hoping to one day walk again. He consistently defied doctors' expectations and took his first step.

"I pretty much, like, disregarded everything my therapist said and just like, started walking, because I guess I wanted it so bad," Fritschner said. Walking for the first time was "just unbelievable. The best feeling you could ever ask for."

Though he primarily uses a wheelchair, Fritschner is working hard to walk with leg braces, meeting with physical therapist two to three times a week.

"It's almost like, why me? Anyone can ask that question, though. That's not how to get anything done. You got to take action," Fritschner said.