DECATUR, Tenn. — There were more days than he cares to remember — particularly the three to four times a week when he was in physical therapy, gritting his teeth through the pain of learning to walk again — that Tylan Kraskouskas doubted whether he would ever regain a sense of normalcy, much less the ability to play the game he loves.
It's for that reason, before he takes the field with his Meigs County High School teammates each Friday night, the junior running back finds a quiet spot in the locker room to bow his head and give thanks for ordinary blessings.
"From where I was this time last year to being back out there on the field with my brothers, I don't take any of it for granted now," Kraskouskas said. "Every play matters now. All the memories you're making by getting to play football, every second of every game matters, because I know better than anybody that it can all be taken away in the blink of an eye."
Gaining such perspective far beyond his years came at a price for Kraskouskas.
On June 5, 2021, he was riding in an ATV along with three of his friends when the vehicle flipped, ejecting Kraskouskas before landing on the teenager, causing multiple breaks in the tibia and fibula bones in both of his legs.
"I lost consciousness for a few seconds, and when I came to the first thing I thought while I was lying on the ground was that I might never play football again," Kraskouskas said. "I knew both my legs were broke, and all I could think was that I would never get to play the sport I've loved my whole life again."
The day after the crash, Kraskouskas underwent a 10-hour surgical procedure to reset the five total breaks and insert a metal rod in each leg. The day after surgery, he began the rehab process, taking short walks in the hallway outside his hospital room.
"I could barely walk to the door without feeling fatigued," Kraskouskas said. "It was extremely painful. Twice a day I would get up and walk the hallway, and eventually I went home in a wheelchair and with a walker to use.
"There was always a thought in the back of my mind whether I was going to ever feel like myself again. It was frustrating and scary. I mean, you take walking for granted, but when you're sat down and can't walk, that's something I would never want anyone to have to go through."
After six weeks of wearing medical boots to stabilize both legs, when Kraskouskas began further rehab work, he realized he had lost nearly all the flexibility in each ankle. It was late October before he had progressed enough to begin light running and was later cleared to return to football, albeit at a slower pace, for spring practices.
Through five games this season, the 5-foot-9, 175-pounder has rushed for 235 yards (including 123 in a win at Signal Mountain), averaging 4.3 per carry, and has scored four touchdowns.
"He can't pass through a metal detector without setting it off, and if a thunderstorm comes up, we send him inside because we joke that he has two lightning rods in his legs, but that kid is tough as nails," Meigs County coach Jason Fitzgerald said. "Even this summer he looked fine running straight ahead but wasn't able to cut as well as before. But that's something that's coming along now, too, because he just keeps working at it.
"To have somebody with that type grit and determination on your team, I mean here's a kid that we worried might never walk without a limp, and now he's a testament to his teammates about overcoming obstacles. It's amazing to see what he does every week."
Recognizing the team's backfield was loaded with runners who were more physical than fast, Fitzgerald made the decision to turn back the clock and begin utilizing the wishbone offense after a frustrating three-point loss to region foe Bledsoe County in week three. Despite having three new starters on the offensive line, the result has been the Tigers now have four backs averaging at least 4.3 yards per carry in rushing for more than 200 yards apiece.
With key Region 3-2A games coming up against Polk County, Marion County and league favorite Tyner, the return to an old-school offense also fits the tenacious makeup of the team.
"We're known for being a physical team at Meigs County," Kraskouskas said. "We like to hit you in the mouth and run the ball right at teams. Being a part of that reputation, knowing my teammates and coaches trust me to get the tough yards means the world to me.
"Having encouragement from my teammates made me push myself harder every single day to regain my strength and get back out on the field with them. I want to be a leader and an inspiration on this team and hopefully help make us as good as we can be."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.