Meet Adaptive Athlete: Riley Lambert

Riley grew up in Waco, Texas, where he balanced his love for athletics and music. He played baseball throughout his youth and into college, spending five years as a collegiate athlete at Navarro College and the University of Texas at Tyler. In high school, he was also passionate about choir, performing in both a large mixed choir and a smaller ensemble. He graduated with a BBA in Finance from UT Tyler.

 

In March 2024, Riley was leaving Bear Creek Golf Course in Grapevine, Texas, where he had been attending a client outing. He was involved in a single-car accident in which his vehicle collided with a tree at 60 mph. The accident left him with a spinal cord injury and led to 35 days in the ICU followed by a month of inpatient rehabilitation at TIRR in Houston. He returned for a second stint later in the year and spent most of 2024 in and out of hospitals and therapy. Riley’s recovery has been as much mental and emotional as physical. As a former collegiate athlete, adjusting to life after injury has challenged his identity and sense of purpose, but it has also provided opportunities to work on his patience and communication. He credits his incredible support system of his mom, teammates, and friends for showing up and helping him through the tough times.

 

One of Riley’s goals for his ReDefine experience is to work on building authentic relationships and giving back to others. Physically, he wants to progress past the plateau he feels he’s on and has set the goal of standing independently again. Riley also wants to increase his belief in himself and his ability to push past his perceived limitations.