Trophy made from Alex Smith’s leg brace.Photo: elizabeth smith/ instagram; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Alex Smithis moving forward the way only a champion can: with a trophy!
TheWashington Football Teamquarterback, 36, returned to the field this season for the first time since 2018, when hesuffered a life-threatening leg injury. And before playing against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, his wife, Elizabeth, shared a heartfelt message — and a photo of a creative way they’ve put her husband’s leg brace to good use.
“No matter the outcome, Alex has already won. He has beat the largest challenge life has thrown our way. I am incredibly proud and will be cheering loud. Let’s go Washington!” she added. (Washington ended up beating the Eagles 20-14 in Sunday’s game, securing the team its first NFC East title in five years.)
“Special thanks to@coldhardartfor transforming a symbol of hard timesto a trophy of triumphwe can proudly put on our shelves. ❤️❤️❤️,” Elizabeth concluded.
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Alex Smith’s leg brace.elizabeth smith/ instagram
Two days later, doctors weresuddenly battling to save his lifeand talking about amputating Smith’s rapidly blackening leg before the necrotizing fasciitis infection continued spreading through his body and killed him.
“I’m laying there wondering, ‘How does this happen?’ " Smithtold PEOPLE in November. “I was just playing in a football game and all of a sudden I might be losing my leg. And I’m thinking, ‘What’s my life going to be like without a leg?’ "
But the veteran athlete and married father of three refused to give up, enduring 17 surgeries including muscle and skin grafts to salvage his leg, before staging one of the most remarkable comebacks in NFL history when hereturned to the field this October.
Alex Smith returns to the field on Oct. 11, 2020.G Flume/Getty
RELATED VIDEO: How NFL Quarterback Alex Smith Staged the Greatest Comeback of His Career After an Almost Deadly Injury
Now, Smith — who was named the team’s starting quarterback on Nov. 15 — is on a quest to spread the message about what he calls “the power of attitude” and how finding the will to stay positive helped fuel his against-all-odds return to professional football.
“I don’t think you totally know how resilient you are until you get tested and this was definitely the biggest test I’ve had in my life,” said the athlete, who created aline of T-shirtsto benefitthe Center for the Intrepid, a San Antonio-based military medical facility instrumental in his physical rehab.
Smith added, “There are so many things you can’t control, but every single day you wake up you have the power to control your attitude and how you approach the things ahead of you. That’s something I focused on every day.”
Washington will next square off against theTom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. EST, in the first round of the NFL playoffs.
source: people.com
