Adam Taliaferro
Encyclopedia
Adam Taliaferro is a former American football
player whose recovery from a paralyzing
spinal cord injury
sustained while playing cornerback
for the Penn State Nittany Lions
gained national media attention.
Growing up in Voorhees Township, New Jersey
, he was a standout running back
and cornerback for the Eastern High School
Vikings. In two years of varsity football at Eastern High School, he averaged 9.4 yards per carry, racking up 62 touchdown
s, and seven Interceptions
. Taliaferro was also a four year varsity starter in basketball
, and set his school's record in the high jump
at 6' 6".
team as one of the top-rated freshman of their 2000 recruiting class. Taliaferro earned playing time as a true freshman for Joe Paterno
's Nittany Lions, despite Paterno's well-documented tendency to redshirt
freshman players.
On September 23, 2000, while playing in only the fifth game of his college career, Taliaferro sustained a career-ending spinal cord injury
while tackling tailback Jerry Westbrooks during Penn State's game versus Ohio State
. Taliaferro's helmet had hit Westbrooks' knee during the tackle, bursting the fifth cervical vertebra
in his neck and bruising his spinal cord
. Unable to control his fall, the crown of his helmet hit the turf and his body rolled awkwardly over his neck. Taliaferro was paralyzed on the hit, which left him with no movement from the neck down.
. After successful surgery, Taliaferro was airlifted back to Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
to begin his recovery. Although surgery was successful, Taliaferro was only given a 3% chance of ever walking again.
He began his well-publicized rehab at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. After eight months of rehab, Taliaferro had learned to walk again.
's field for the first game of the 2001 season against the Miami Hurricanes
in front of a record crowd of 109,313. Taliaferro skipped, then jogged onto the field in front of an emotional Penn State crowd.
He remained part of the football team as a student-assistant coach under Joe Paterno
. Taliaferro earned a Bachelor of Science
in Labor and Industrial Relations from Penn State in 2005.
Taliaferro created his own foundation to help support others with spinal cord injuries. The foundation was created in 2001, and continues to grow each year. The foundation has been said to raise over $80,000 per year for spinal cord injuries.
In 2008, he was named the recipient of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
"Humanitarian Award".
in Camden, New Jersey
. He earned his J.D.
in May 2008 and is currently a lawyer at Duane Morris
in the firm's Cherry Hill office. Taliaferro also runs his own foundation which helps student athletes with head or spinal injuries and is a motivational speaker
, doing corporate appearances and speaking at schools.
On November 8, 2011 he was elected to serve on the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders. He will assume office in January, 2012.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player whose recovery from a paralyzing
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
sustained while playing cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
gained national media attention.
Growing up in Voorhees Township, New Jersey
Voorhees Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,126 people, 10,489 households, and 7,069 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,424.0 people per square mile . There were 11,084 housing units at an average density of 955.2 per square mile...
, he was a standout running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and cornerback for the Eastern High School
Eastern High School (New Jersey)
Eastern High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school for students in grades 9 - 12 from three communities in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Eastern Camden County Regional High School District...
Vikings. In two years of varsity football at Eastern High School, he averaged 9.4 yards per carry, racking up 62 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, and seven Interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
. Taliaferro was also a four year varsity starter in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and set his school's record in the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
at 6' 6".
Penn State career
In 2000, Taliaferro joined the Penn State Nittany Lions footballPenn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
team as one of the top-rated freshman of their 2000 recruiting class. Taliaferro earned playing time as a true freshman for Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
's Nittany Lions, despite Paterno's well-documented tendency to redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman players.
On September 23, 2000, while playing in only the fifth game of his college career, Taliaferro sustained a career-ending spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
while tackling tailback Jerry Westbrooks during Penn State's game versus Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. Taliaferro's helmet had hit Westbrooks' knee during the tackle, bursting the fifth cervical vertebra
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
in his neck and bruising his spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
. Unable to control his fall, the crown of his helmet hit the turf and his body rolled awkwardly over his neck. Taliaferro was paralyzed on the hit, which left him with no movement from the neck down.
Recovery
Taliaferro had surgery at the Ohio State Medical Center to fuse his C-5 vertebrateVertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
. After successful surgery, Taliaferro was airlifted back to Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University is a private health sciences university in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. The university consists of six constituent colleges and schools, Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson School of Health...
Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
to begin his recovery. Although surgery was successful, Taliaferro was only given a 3% chance of ever walking again.
He began his well-publicized rehab at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital
Magee Rehabilitation Hospital
Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, founded in 1958, is a 96-bed specialty medical rehabilitation hospital providing physical and cognitive rehabilitation services. Magee’s flagship facility is located in Center City Philadelphia...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. After eight months of rehab, Taliaferro had learned to walk again.
Return to Penn State
Taliaferro returned to Penn State less than a year after his injury. He led the Penn State Nittany Lions football team onto Beaver StadiumBeaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference. The stadium is named for James A...
's field for the first game of the 2001 season against the Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes, of Coral Gables, Florida, are the varsity sports teams of the University of Miami. They compete in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The university fields 15 athletic teams for 17 varsity sports...
in front of a record crowd of 109,313. Taliaferro skipped, then jogged onto the field in front of an emotional Penn State crowd.
He remained part of the football team as a student-assistant coach under Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
. Taliaferro earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Labor and Industrial Relations from Penn State in 2005.
Miracle in the Making & The Adam Taliaferro Foundation
In 2001, a book was written by Sam Carchidi and Scott Brown to chronicle Taliaferro's life and recovery, entitled Miracle in the Making.Taliaferro created his own foundation to help support others with spinal cord injuries. The foundation was created in 2001, and continues to grow each year. The foundation has been said to raise over $80,000 per year for spinal cord injuries.
In 2008, he was named the recipient of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association was founded on May 12, 1904, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US. The first of what would become an annual Awards Dinner was held on February 15, 1905.-Awards:...
"Humanitarian Award".
Personal
Taliaferro enrolled at Rutgers School of Law - CamdenRutgers School of Law - Camden
Rutgers School of Law–Camden is a public law school of Rutgers University located in Camden, New Jersey on the Delaware Waterfront. It is one of two law schools of Rutgers University and one of only three law schools in the state of New Jersey...
in Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
. He earned his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in May 2008 and is currently a lawyer at Duane Morris
Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP is a law firm headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1904 as Duane, Morris, Heckscher & Roberts, the firm has 24 offices in the United States, London, Singapore and Vietnam. In addition to legal services, Duane Morris has independent affiliates employing...
in the firm's Cherry Hill office. Taliaferro also runs his own foundation which helps student athletes with head or spinal injuries and is a motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
, doing corporate appearances and speaking at schools.
On November 8, 2011 he was elected to serve on the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders. He will assume office in January, 2012.
External links
- Adam Taliaferro Foundation website
- "I truly feel blessed", The Daily Collegian, October 21, 2006
- "Catching Up With Adam Taliaferro", Audio interview, August 19, 2005
- "After neck injury, Taliaferro still dreams about the NFL", Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, May 13, 2005 - "Taking Purposeful Strides", The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, February 20, 2001 - "Former Penn State player Adam Taliaferro makes great strides from spinal injury", Josh Lederman, USAToday, Jul 20, 2010.