By Sarah Shaw, staff writer

After finishing a chapter learning about the brain, the anatomy class recently had a guest speaker visit on Dec. 1. The class took some time to focus on paralysis and how it affects the body after a traumatic brain injury.

Paralysis can be explained as the loss of muscle function in your body because messages from your brain to the muscles are not delivered. “I think it’s important to know what causes paralysis if they are in anatomy class, but not the details of paralysis,” said Mr. Chris Greco, the anatomy teacher.

The class’s guest speaker is a member of the faculty here at Saegertown. At age fifteen, math teacher Scott Bidwell’s life changed dramatically after a detrimental play in a football game against Lakeview High School. After multiple surgeries, it was unknown if he would be paralyzed for the rest of his life. “It was a killer kickoff, which means go right for the ball. It was rainy that day and as he juked, I jived, hitting him in the femur bone, breaking it while crushing my fifth vertebrae,” said Bidwell.

This ties in with the class’s recent discussion about paralysis and Greco enjoys listening to Bidwell speak to the anatomy class year after year. “I think that students know what it is, but they don’t know the significance of it and what it can do. And, the challenges someone faces with paralysis,” said Greco.

Although this happened at such a young age, Bidwell continues to live his life like anyone else would and keeps a positive attitude. Bidwell has one tip for all student athletes of Saegertown High School: “Play today like you can’t play tomorrow.”