Jordan Thomas had every reason to cry, mope, fall into the worst depression imaginable that August afternoon in 2005. He was 16 years old and about to enter his junior year at McCallie School when every dream he’d ever had for his life was shattered.
A boating accident led to both of Thomas’s legs being amputated just below the knees. No longer would he seemingly be able to play golf on a competitive level. No longer would he move through life on two strong legs as he always had, swatting the little white ball well enough to become captain of the Blue Tornado golf team.
No longer would he have the chance build on a junior career as, in his words with a slight chuckle in his voice: “Probably the most prolific junior golfer in the history of the Vince Gill Junior Golf Tour.”
And there have been times that tragedy has momentarily gotten the best of him. In recalling that awful day 17 years ago, Thomas said recently, “There are days when I think, ‘Why did this happen?’ or days when I’m really struggling, and people don’t see that. They don’t see the behind-the-doors stuff the challenges I face on a day-to-day basis.”
And those are emotions any of us could understand, if not be consumed by.