Makayla Noble’s senior year of high school appears to be very different now than it did just a few months ago.
The 17-year-old cheerleader from Texas is a three-time All-American who has competed at the top levels of the sport. She was looking forward to continuing her athletic career in college, but all changed in an instant on September 20, 2021.
Makayla was at a friend’s house training for the approaching homecoming pep rally when one of her flips went wrong and she fell straight on her neck and face. As she lay in the grass, she became aware that she couldn’t feel her arms or legs.
“I realized right away that I was incapacitated,” Makayla explained. The adolescent was taken to the hospital, where doctors attempted to reattach her damaged C6 vertebra.
Makayla awakened to discover that every athlete’s greatest nightmare had come true: she was a quadriplegic. Doctors cautioned her not to get her hopes up because the majority of individuals who experience this type of injury never walk again, but Makayla refused to listen!
Despite her grim prognosis, Makayla never stopped smiling. Her athleticism, she says, has helped her completely commit to her recovery, and she is determined to prove the doctors wrong and walk on her own two feet again. She also shares her recuperation on social media in the hopes of shedding more light on what it’s like to live with a catastrophic spinal cord injury.
Makayla’s YouTube account include videos like “day in my life as a quadriplegic” and “answering y’queries.” all’s She aspires to touch the hearts of people who are going through a tough moment in their lives by sharing her hardships and achievements.
“We’re all going through something,” she explained. “Whether I can help one person or a million people, I want to be able to do so.”
Makayla and her family have received support from the whole community of Prosper, Texas, as they learn to live with her disability. The community formally designated December 17 as “Makayla Noble Day” in order to recognize the teen’s tenacity and positive attitude. She was able to thank the first responders who assisted her on the day of her accident at this year’s event, and they couldn’t believe how strong this young woman is after all she’s gone through.
Jen and Greg Noble, Makayla’s parents, aren’t shocked by how well she’s handled her new situation. They’ve seen her push herself to new boundaries her whole life, and this predicament is simply another challenge for her to conquer.
“I believe in her, and I know that if it’s up to her, she’ll put in the effort and do everything physically possible to walk again,” Jen said.
Makayla fully expects to walk again, and in the meantime, she will continue to smile! We have no doubt that this brave young athlete will triumph against the odds, and we will be rooting for her every step of the way!
