Even after losing her toes, Joshua basketball player kept positive in return to court
When Gabbie Guerrero was rushed to the hospital in May, her first thought was, “Will I be able to play basketball again?”
Guerrero, a sophomore at Joshua, was in an ATV accident May 31 when her vehicle hit a puddle, tipped over and caught her left foot before skidding 50 feet.
She suffered significant nerve damage in her left leg and lost her toes.
Doctors tried to save them, but one month and five surgeries later, the decision was made to amputate. Three-fourths of her foot was amputated. Now she has a prosthetic, along with carbon fibers to help her spring and jump.
“That week was the hardest, but I always kept positive,” Guerrero said. “I was looking forward to the future. I thought: ‘People can go without legs and arms. Why can’t I go without toes?’”
It only motivated her to get back on the court. She plays on the junior varsity team.
“It’s my favorite hobby,” she said. “It’s amazing. My family and friends are on the team.”
Guerrero returned to competition seven months to the date of the accident. Joshua traveled to Godley for a nondistrict game Dec. 31. Guerrero played limited minutes in the second and fourth quarters.
“It was kind of fast-paced, and I was a little scared, but once I started getting used to it, it was like I was back and nothing even happened,” said Guerrero. “Hardest thing was not being able to push off as hard as the others. But I always believe whatever they can do, I can do. I’m just as strong as everyone else; I just have a story to it.”
Rehab process
When the accident happened, Guerrero’s mother, Lynn Poulson, wasn’t sure what the future would hold.
The family got multiple opinions.
“Initially, the doctors at the ER said she’d never play again,” Poulson said. “We weren’t sure what the outcome would be, so we talked to multiple surgeons, and they said full amputation was the best thing long-term. She had to adjust to the prosthetic at first, but it was the right decision.”
And varsity head coach Michelle Connelly was impressed at Guerrero’s recovery.
“Some kids would say it’s not worth it and stop playing, but Gabbie was determined,” Connelly said. “She has a passion for the game, which helped. It’s a big reason she was able to recover and get back quickly. We also have a great group of kids who supported her. Even when she was out, she still came to our practices and games, and helped keep stats. She was always around the program all the time.”
Guerrero went from a wheelchair to a knee scooter, to crutches, to a walker. Eventually, she was able to put weight on her left foot and began jogging. She returned to practice last month, a few weeks before her first game.
“I was full of emotions. It was fantastic she was back, but I was worried. I wasn’t sure how much she could run and jump. We didn’t want to rush it. She didn’t play a lot, but she did well,” Poulson said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better group of teammates and coaches. The support from the school played an important role. Her goal was to get back on the court, and she met that goal. She was very excited.”
Outside help
Poulson said support also came from strangers.
She works with one woman whose daughter lost her toes in a boating accident six years ago. The daughter played lacrosse both before and after the accident.
“Her mother helped me a lot. She reassured me that my daughter was going to be all right, since she went through the same thing,” Poulson said. ”They would tell her that there was going to be good days and bad days.”
Poulson also does yoga with another woman who had to have her leg amputated from the knee down.
“Seeing my friend do yoga and accomplish so many things, like Zumba and biking, it really gave Gabbie a positive outlook,” Poulson said. “Super proud of her this year. Nothing will stop her at this point.”
Added Connelly: “Great kid with a positive attitude and never let the process bring her down. She worked hard to get back, and it inspired all of us to appreciate what we have.”
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
