After he graduates, Gjos plans to dedicate three or four months to intense therapy and maximizing his recovery. He had begun hunting for a job shortly before his accident, but his chief concern now is rebuilding his life.

Hockey is still part of that life. He doesn't hate it for what it did to him. "I don't think I can blame anybody, " he said. "It's just one of those things that happen.

"I'm pretty good about talking about this now. Part of it is I feel optimistic that this isn't the end game. Part of it I hope to make people more aware of spinal cord injuries and issues and things people in this situation have to deal with. Like everybody else, I have good days and I have bad days, but [self-pity] is not going to help me get better. There are people worse off than I am, and I've had a lot of support from my girlfriend and some great friends that helped me along."

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