Garvin Tyrell ... still has a positive outlook on life. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

For many people, losing a leg would be a death sentence, but according to Garvin, 'When things happen to you, you just have to move on.'

Latoya Grindley and Norman Grindley, Gleaner Writers

Life is unpredictable. Nobody knows this better than 17-year-old Garvin Tyrell.

Like many teenage boys, he harboured dreams of becoming a professional footballer, but the tragic events of one Monday evening changed his life forever.

This fifth form student of the Denham Town High School had his left leg amputated after falling victim to violence in the Denham Town community four years ago.

Tragic incident

"I think it was morning. I left my house to go to the shop and I heard two shots. I then felt something in the back of my foot and realised that I was shot," he said. A stray bullet had caught him in the leg.

For many people, losing a leg would be a death sentence, but according to Garvin, "When things happen to you, you just have to move on.

"I used to ask, why me, because this changed my life a whole lot. I used to play in football leagues and all that had to stop. A lot of things changed in my life, but the thing is, I have life."

However, he still has difficulty getting around on crutches, especially at his school which does not have the facilities to cater to him.

"It is so hard on these crutches, like when I have to move around to classes. It slows me down, and when I have classes upstairs, I have to be hopping on one foot. Getting an artificial leg would be of so much help to me. I would be back to normal. I am still young and I want to enjoy life, but I just do not have the money to get one."

Garvin revealed his free-spiritedness and passion for life have not been dulled: "I love going to the beach and hanging out with my friends. It is very relaxing. When parties happen in my community, I go and enjoy myself by doing my own dance, like rocking side to side."

Come May, he will be sitting seven CXC subjects. He has accepted that he can no longer pursue his football dreams and has started to work on his entrepreneurial skills. However, he's still not sure what area he will venture into.

"I'm still in the thinking phase, weighing many options. ... I want to go to St. George's College and then move on to the University of Technology to pursue business administration," he said with a grin.