For most of his life, Robby McPhail has faced challenges head-on.
A Vietnam veteran, retired Army National Guard artillery officer, East Carolina University graduate and longtime business professional, McPhail has spent decades overcoming obstacles through discipline, perseverance and faith.
But nothing prepared him for the summer day in 2024 when a fall from a ladder left him paralyzed from the neck down.
“I never lost consciousness, so I knew exactly what was happening,” he said. “I was lying there on the porch, my phone within arm’s reach, and I couldn’t move anything. That’s a pretty sobering experience.”
Today, just over two years later, McPhail walks several miles a day, exercises regularly and is preparing to participate in ECU Health Rehab’s Run, Walk & Roll to Independence Race for the first time.
“It’s nothing short of a miracle based on what I came into the hospital with,” McPhail, 75, said. “I went from being totally paralyzed to getting my life back.”
The path to recovery began almost immediately. A retired labor and delivery nurse who lived nearby responded to his calls for help and emergency responders quickly transported him to ECU Health Medical Center.
Following surgery, McPhail began the long and challenging process of rehabilitation.
At first, even the smallest steps felt overwhelming.
During his inpatient rehabilitation stay, McPhail worked closely with physical, occupational and recreational therapists who helped him regain strength, mobility and confidence. Their expertise, encouragement and willingness to push him beyond what he thought was possible made a lasting impact.
“The professionalism of everyone I worked with was tremendous,” McPhail said. “They were knowledgeable, compassionate and always encouraging.”
Some of the most powerful moments of his recovery came from therapists challenging him to believe in a future beyond his injury.
One day, an occupational therapist told him she needed to measure him for a wheelchair.
“In my mind, that got my attention immediately,” McPhail recalled. “It motivated me to do everything I could to get back on my feet.”
Later, after transitioning to outpatient rehabilitation, a physical therapist delivered another challenge.
“She told me, ‘Next time you come back, don’t bring that walker,'” he said. “That walker had become my security blanket, but hearing that pushed me to keep moving forward.”
As he progressed through outpatient therapy, McPhail found himself surrounded by a team that celebrated every milestone while continuing to raise the bar for what he could accomplish. He credits the entire rehabilitation staff with helping him regain independence and restore confidence in everyday activities.
“When you’re going through something like that, you become very dependent on the people helping you,” he said. “They weren’t just providing therapy. They were giving me hope.”
Following outpatient therapy, McPhail was introduced to additional resources within ECU Health that helped him continue his journey to recovery. He began working with a trainer at the ECU Health Wellness Center, where he still exercises regularly, and became a patient of the ECU Health Lifestyle Medicine Clinic.
Together, the programs helped McPhail build healthy habits, improve his strength and endurance and manage chronic health conditions while continuing to recover from his initial injury.
“The Rehab team got me started, but the Wellness Center and Lifestyle Medicine Clinic helped me keep moving forward,” McPhail said.
Working with his wellness coach and Lifestyle Medicine providers, McPhail focuses on nutrition, exercise and overall wellness, developing a routine that has become a cornerstone of his recovery.
Today, he walks on the treadmill for an hour five days a week, regularly surpasses 10,000 steps a day and remains committed to maintaining his health and independence.
“I’m in the fourth quarter of life, and I want to play the whole fourth quarter,” McPhail said. “I want to stay active, independent and enjoy every day I’ve been given.”
Along the way, he has also found comfort and strength in his faith, family and community. He credits the prayers and encouragement of loved ones, along with the support of his rehabilitation team, for helping him navigate the physical and emotional challenges of recovery.
The progress has been so significant that rehabilitation staff have invited McPhail to share his story with current patients facing similar obstacles. He happily accepts every opportunity.
Whether speaking with patients or volunteering alongside staff, McPhail hopes his experience can inspire others who are navigating difficult recoveries of their own.
“If my story can encourage somebody else, I’m glad to do it,” he said. “When you’re sitting there facing the unknown, it helps to hear from someone who’s been through it.”
In addition, he volunteers on Thursday afternoons at ECU Health Outpatient Rehabilitation, a role he views as an extension of his recovery journey.
“It’s my way of giving back to the team of professionals who aided me in my recovery,” McPhail said.
That desire to give back is one reason McPhail immediately signed up when he learned about the Run, Walk & Roll to Independence race.
“This is the first year I’ve heard about it, and I signed up right away,” he said. “The Rehab team did so much for me. It’s a chance to support them and celebrate what they’re doing for people every day.”
As he prepares to join fellow patients, team members and community supporters at the starting line, McPhail hopes others will recognize the life-changing impact rehabilitation can have.
“The care I received, the professionalism, the encouragement, everything they did helped put me back together,” said McPhail.
For McPhail, the race represents far more than a community event. It’s a celebration of recovery, resilience and the people who helped him transform one of the worst days of his life into a story of hope.
“I’m thankful every day,” he said. “Thankful to wake up, thankful for the people who helped me and thankful that I can keep moving forward.”
To join McPhail at the Run, Walk & Roll to Independence race, please visit: www.ecuhealthfoundation.org/event/run-walk-roll-to-independence-5k-and-1-mile-fun-run-walk-2/