Good Sports: Bullard's Sam Makely relearns walking and baseball in hospital after traumatic crash
Sam Makely, a Bullard High School first baseman, has made a remarkable recovery after a severe car crash in June 2025 left him with a traumatic brain injury and unable to walk. He relearned basic motor skills and baseball fundamentals while undergoing rehabilitation in the hospital. Now, less than a year later, Makely has returned to the field and hit two home runs this season.
- ▪Sam Makely was involved in a life-threatening car crash on June 1, 2025, when his brakes failed and he hit a tree.
- ▪He suffered a traumatic brain injury and dissociative amnesia, initially not recognizing his own family.
- ▪Makely relearned how to walk and practiced baseball drills in hospital hallways during recovery.
- ▪His coach, Tom Donald, said they hoped Makely would be in the dugout this season but did not expect him to play on the field.
- ▪This season, Makely has hit two home runs for Bullard High School's baseball team.
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