Have you ever had something that you love taken away from you? Then later on in life you wish it was still with you?

Senior Mackenzie Nelson remembers the tragic day when her MCL in her knee was torn for the last time. She had to have a very devastating surgery, changing her forever.

Nelson was scared for her health, and for good reason too. She had not only hurt herself severely once but a whopping total of four times over her years of volleyball.

Even though she probably made the right decision, she regrets it. Volleyball was her life. She had been playing the sport for six years starting in the fourth grade.  She was good at it and she enjoyed it. Anyone would be hurt by losing something valuable to them.

Though this was a problem, not all was lost. That summer she shadowed a orthopedic surgeon. Nelson became interested in the process of fixing her knee and was inspired by what surgeons do.

Knowing what she wanted to do wasn’t enough though. She had to have a plan.

Nelson wants to go to the University of Missouri for college. However, she hasn’t decided yet where she wants to go for her medical schooling to become an actual orthopedic surgeon.

Nelson has what looks like a bright future ahead of her by pushing the limits of what an underdog story can be started with.