Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Javier O'Gilvie is a versatile 13-year-old athlete who was on course to a very bright future before tragedy struck.

During the first half of a Pepsi Under-14 football match against Campion College on November 19, 2008, he was keeping goal for his Wolmers' high-school team in the quarter-final match when he rushed out to thwart a goal-scoring attempt and was scissor-tackled.

He was immediately rushed to hospital. It was initially believed that O'Gilvie had suffered a sprain, but further tests revealed that his right ankle had been totally dislocated, or in medical terms, he had suffered trauma in his right ankle, causing an epiphysiolysis of the distal tibial.

"When I got the call, I thought it was a sprain at first, but when I arrived at the hospital, I got the shock of my life. I was told that my child would not be sent home," said Javier's mom, while holding back tears. "I started to question God and asked why my son, but God knows best and even though I was hurt and had my doubts, I hid it from him (Javier) as I needed to be strong for him."

National record

Javier came to prominence on June 8, 2008, when he established a new national mark in the boys' Class One long jump, leaping 5.44 metres to erase the previous mark of 5.39m.

He followed that up by breaking the meet record at the Amateur Athletics Union meet held in Orlando, Florida, when he cleared 1.68 metres in the high jump.

"When I started football in prep school, I started out at centre-forward. But I was also the best goalkeeper on the team, so my coach made me keep goal."

In 2007 and 2008, he helped Hydel to win three cups in two seasons.

O'Gilvie's teammates were greatly concerned when he got injured.

"When he sustained the injury, one of his teammates, Abraham Robertson, went home to his father and said, 'Daddy, the best man on the team is down and we need to do something'," Mrs O'Gilvie shared.

It was then that the decision was made to take Javier to Cuba to an orthopaedic hospital to get a second opinion, as the hospital here wanted to put pins and screws in his ankle, while his mother wanted them to try manipulation so her son could have the best chance at a future in sports.

Young O'Gilvie was admitted to Hospital Ortopédico Frank Pais in Cuba on November 26, 2008, where they were able to manipulate the ankle and cast it. They then indicated that after six weeks, they would evaluate and advise if surgery would be necessary.

Javier missed numerous classes but was able to catch up, due to assistance from his class teachers.

"He was out of school for a while due to his confinement to a wheelchair, but his class teachers put together all his notes," Mrs O'Gilvie said. "After the six-week period had passed, we went back to Cuba and prepared for surgery, but my strong belief in God and the many prayers paid off, as when we got there, the cast was removed and even the doctors were surprised that the foot had actually healed itself. It just turned around," an emotional Mrs O'Gilvie reminisced.

Her son is currently undergoing therapy to strengthen the ankle and is due to return to Cuba in January for a follow-up.

Daily therapy

"I spend an hour each day doing therapy. I have to ride the bicycle in the gym and walk some laps, among other things. I am not feeling any discomfort," Javier said.

There is a fifty-fifty chance Javier might not get to play football again or participate in the jumps because if his growth plate is damaged, then that would mean the end of his career, as his leg would cease growing.

Javier is, however, looking forward to a complete recovery so he can get back to doing the things he loves.

"I still want to continue playing sports after my leg gets better. I want to do everything I used to do," Javier said. "Every evening while here (at school) doing my therapy, I see my friends training. There are even two of my friends from prep school who are on the team, so it feels kind of sad," he added.

His mother, though, is, unders-tandably, not so enthused about him continuing football.

"I am trying to distract him from football. I am encouraging him to join the choir and he is also a good talker, so I am encouraging him to become a member of the debating team. He also played chess, so he could go back to playing that or a musical instrument, or just stick to track and field," said Mrs O'Gilvie.

"However," she said, "he says he still wants to play football. He insists that he wants to represent his school and do everything for them so as to ensure that at the end of he day, he excels in both academics and sports."