The best catch of all 

Redefining what it means to be present as a dad after a life-changing injury

A softball rests in Travis Daniel’s hand like a familiar promise. And his three kids lean into Travis, arms around shoulders and neck, making it abundantly clear that whatever happens next, this is where the center of the game is.

For Travis, moments like this aren’t just sweet. They’re sacred. “Just being outside with my kids playing means the world to me. It’s a reminder of how blessed I am.”

And if you ask his kids to describe him in moments like these, Travis doesn’t hesitate. “I think my kids would describe me as a big kid playing with them.”

It’s the kind of line that lands with a grin. But behind it is something deeper: a father who knows what it’s like to wonder whether he’d ever get back to this kind of ordinary again.

Because for Travis, “normal” didn’t always look like a ball in hand and kids piled in close.

A split second that changed everything

In February 2022, Travis had a C-7 spinal cord injury from a snowboarding accident in North Carolina. The injury left the father of three paralyzed, suddenly facing a reality he never asked for and could never have predicted.

The days that followed were heavy. But when Travis was admitted to Shepherd Center, he felt the sense that he didn’t have to face it alone.

The hardest part wasn’t the chair — it was what it might mean to his kids

Travis is candid about what hit him the hardest during recovery.

“The hardest thing was coming to terms that I would spend my life now in a wheelchair,” he says. “And I never wanted my kids to think I was weak.”

That sentence holds the kind of quiet honesty that many dads carry. The unspoken pressure to be the steady one. The strong one. The one who fixes things. But Shepherd helped Travis see something different: that strength doesn’t disappear when life changes shape. Sometimes, strength simply learns a new way to show up.

“Shepherd helped me see that life was far from over and I can still be very much involved in my kids’ lives with sports and activities.”

Travis learned this day by day in therapy, in adaptive skills training, and in the slow accumulation of confidence that says, I can do this. We can do this.

And all along the way, Travis had fuel.

“My family was my motivation to push myself,” he says. “And God gave me the positive mindset I needed for recovery and my daily life now.”

That sense of purpose is evident to those around him.

“Whether competing in adaptive sports or encouraging those around him, he leads by example,” says Matt Edens, Sports Team Coordinator at Shepherd Center. “His kids are always nearby either at practices or competitions watching and cheering him on. You can really see sports wasn’t just rebuilding strength; he was rebuilding confidence.”

Hope doesn’t always roar…sometimes it rolls

At Shepherd, Travis was introduced to adaptive sports. This experience became a turning point in his recovery.

“Shepherd introduced me to adaptive sports,” he says, “which has become a huge part of my life.”

That introduction wasn’t just a new hobby. It was a new community. A new kind of possibility.

“Travis brings a rare mix of determination and humor into every space he enters,” says Becky Washburn, Beyond Therapy Manager. “When he discovered adaptive sports, it clicked immediately. He wasn’t just rebuilding strength; he was rebuilding confidence.”

Today, Travis plays quad rugby with Shepherd Smash and also plays softball with the Shepherd Sluggers. It’s proof that recovery isn’t only about regaining function; it’s about reclaiming identity.

And it turns out, that identity still includes something very important: A dad who is here to participate.

Fatherhood after injury: noticing the little things

If you ask Travis what fatherhood means now, after injury, his answer is simple.

“Being a dad is so special to me after my injury. So many things I took for granted. I try to enjoy more of the little things and the times we have together.”

He doesn’t talk about fatherhood like a title. He talks about it like a daily practice: the choice to be present, to notice, to show up even when showing up looks different than it used to.

And he hopes his kids learn something from watching him navigate all of it.

“I hope my kids will learn to never give up in life,” he says. “And know that we are not promised tomorrow, so live for the day.”

The family adventure continues

Travis’s family life is still active and full. Barn life, farm life, dog life, school runs, practices, church, travel, and the everyday logistics of a family that refuses to let a spinal cord injury be the thing that shrinks their world.

“Staying active is so important because it gives me a purpose,” he says. “Not only does it impact me, but hopefully it positively impacts others.”

That sense of purpose shows up in how the Daniel family approaches life: with creativity, with humor, and with a willingness to try new things and adapt until something works.

“I think people would be surprised at the willingness I have had with my family through this journey so far to never give up,” Travis says, “and always be ready to try new things and adapt to make things work.”

And if you’re looking for the heart of it, the thing that matters most, Travis doesn’t hesitate.

“Being able to watch my kids grow and me being involved is such a blessing. That brings me the most joy.”

Small wins, big love, lifelong memories

For Father’s Day, it’s easy to celebrate the big gestures: the trips, the gifts, the grand moments.

But Travis will tell you the real gold is smaller. Cherish the small things. Stay humble.

That’s what he’d tell another parent walking into a life-changing diagnosis or injury: hold tight to what matters, and don’t miss what’s still possible.

“Hope to me is knowing there is always more to come.”

Hope doesn’t always arrive as a miracle moment. Sometimes hope looks like a catch. A cheer from the sidelines that no longer feel like sidelines. A dad in the middle, surrounded by his kids, exactly where he belongs.

Hope is here. And for Travis, it shows up in the people who call him dad.

About Shepherd Center

With more than five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.

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