Brother Jim Gosser, HB ’01 to compete in Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon

On February 25, 2007 Brother Jim Gosser from our Eta Beta chapter at West Chester University slipped on ice and fractured his pelvis. At the time the surgeons and doctors who cared for Jim were not optimistic about him ever walking again when they inserted five screws and two rods to hold his vertebra in place and another five screws and two rods into his pelvis. The entire procedure required a three week hospital stay. After 12 weeks of recovery and therapy he was able to walk freely but there was still doubt if he would be back to the physical condition he was before the accident. At Father Judge High School Jim was on the varsity track and field team and participated as a sprinter and in pole vaulting. Tomorrow he will once again compete in a track and field event in the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon which is one of the largest events of its kind in the nation. Due to Brother Gosser’s determination he exceeded everyone’s expectations from the start of his rehabilitation. As mentioned after 12 weeks he began to walk freely but that was not satisfactory for him. He began the process of intensive physical therapy and he amazed the medical professionals who were assisting him. The program called for him to walk in a pool and he was swimming and instead of walking on a treadmill he was jogging. On March 13, 2008 at Gosser’s request the surgeons and doctors were asked to remove the screws and rods. Only a few weeks later, he was running a mile a day just like before the accident. His competing this weekend in Philadelphia is his way to say thank you for all of the surgeons who assisted him to getting back to health. His competition in Sunday’s event is a true demonstration of what it means to live the words of the Credo; “My sons shall neither falter nor fail. They shall add new luster to my name.”