Holland-Sampa on the Road to Recovery

Over the recent summer of 2013, Viking tennis player and sophomore Kiland Holland-Sampa, was involved in a life threating accident from a swimming pool, by breaking his neck and causing him to be paralyzed.

“I was in a hotel swimming pool, and I was just fooling  around and then I dove into the swimming pool and hit the top of my head and broke my spinal cord.” Said Kiland Holland-Sampa

With the accident affecting Kiland’s physical ability he has had to learn to cope with the situation.

“I realize that I’m going to be in here for a while so I just try to stay happy and have fun and not worry too much about the bad parts,” said Holland-Sampa

Having his friends and family support and pray him throughout his life changing experience, has made recovery well.

“He’s gotten better than when he was first there. He can actually sit up now, and he’s gaining feeling back. Before he didn’t have any feeling,” said sophomore Chealsie Fajardo.

Friends and family have visited him and seen his progress for his recovery over the past few months since he’s been in the hospital

“I visit him pretty often. When it first happened, I usually tried to come every single day, but now that we have school I still try to find time to come by as much as I can,” said senior Josh Collin.

Although Holland-Sampa wasn’t able to make it to the first football game of the season, Parkway North made rally towels to support the Viking.

“The drug free council members wanted to do something to help Kiland, so we felt that we could raise some money for him and his family. The idea of rally towels came up so we were able to get a donation of five-hundred towels with his name and his favorite quote,” said athletic director Kris Kellams .

North’s football players had many encouraging words and prayers for Holland-Sampa.

“Every day in the locker room before we go out and play I look at the (Passion and Determination) towel. I pray for him to recover and walk again and also play tennis again,” said sophomore Clayton Weber.

Although Holland-Sampa hasn’t been around school, he will be attending Parkway North’s 2013 homecoming on September 21.

“I have decided that I will be attending and going to the homecoming dance, yeah that’s right,” said Holland-Sampa

By: Jamie Powell  Community Editor