Hurricane Harvey turned a lot of lives upside down and many Cy-Woods football players jumped in to help those in need. Maclaren Bird was one of those players that helped in the clean up effort after the hurricane.   Here is his story:  

While cleaning and demoing a house, a door jam fell on my leg and a rusty nail punctured my calf.  I continued playing football with no idea of the damage that had taken place inside my leg. Two weeks later after rolling my ankle in the Langham Creek game, I woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in my lower leg. Our trainer, Mr. Villarreal, suspected Compartment Syndrome and got us into see a doctor immediately where I was diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome. Compartment Syndrome is when internal swelling causes a build up of pressure and cuts off circulation to a limb. Upon arrival to the hospital, I was rushed into emergency surgery to relieve the buildup of pressure and allow the blood to flow. During surgery it was discovered the nail that went into my leg had hit an artery. The surgeon said that if I had been only a few hours later to surgery, they would have had to amputate my leg at the knee. I am so grateful for Mr. Villarreal, his knowledge, and quick diagnosis. After surgery, the doctor informed me that part of my muscle had died and had to be removed during surgery. He told me my football season was over and my future ability to ever play again was to be determined. This experience shifted my whole outlook on life. I learned to be more grateful for everything I had been blessed with. The simple things all of a sudden became easier to appreciate. I began to see the good in things and focus on the positives. It has made me appreciate being able to attend a good school and get a quality education. This event has ignited in me a desire to make the most out of every opportunity I've been given. In sports I have learned to cherish every moment because there are no guarantees. 

After my injury the long difficult process of recovery and rehab began. Recovery from this trial was truly one of the hardest things I have ever undertaken. I had to work twice as hard to make up for time lost. I lost a lot of weight and strength. The rehab and road to recovery was long and intense, but I have made a full recovery. I’m grateful for it because it has taught me to be grateful for everything and make the most out of every opportunity.