HAHIRA, Ga. – Zach Nabers, 18, wanted to play football – until a boating accident at the age of 11 led to the loss of his right hand.

Nabers told WCTV that after the accident something clicked and he was interested in playing basketball instead. It took a long time for him to learn how to maneuver through life without his hand, but he never gave up.

Simple tasks frustrated him, but shooting a basketball came easier.

“I just had to keep chasing the ball. I had to keep playing,” Nabers told WCTV.

Nabers said the accident might have been a “blessing in disguise,” on and off the court, because it pushed him to work harder than anyone else, making him a better player – and a person.

As a result of this resilience, Nabers earned a signing with Greenville University in Illinois.