It has been over 15 months since Rylee Foster fractured her neck in a car crash, but the Liverpool FC Women goalkeeper has now made a big step.
Foster and four of her friends were driving to Helsinki during a holiday in the November international break of 2021 when the car hydroplaned and flipped off the road.
The Canadian suffered seven fractures to her neck and vertebrae, with initial fears not only for her career but, more importantly, her life.
With the help of a specialist neck brace and recovery support, Foster is nearing a recovery from the horrific injuries suffered in Finland over 15 months ago.
That, incredibly, includes a return to light goalkeeper training, as the 24-year-old shared on Twitter on Wednesday night.
Back like I never left, and getting closer to being back with @LiverpoolFCW in no time!
Thanking everyone for all their love and support????#YNWA pic.twitter.com/fBTlLniRMS— Rylee Foster (@_ryleefoster) February 22, 2023
Working with an individual coach, Foster can be seen diving to make saves and return the ball before quickly repositioning herself for another stop.
“Back like I never left, and getting closer to being back with Liverpool in no time!” she wrote.
“Thanking everyone for all their love and support.”
Foster, whose grandparents are from nearby Wavertree, has remained part of the Liverpool squad during her rehabilitation, travelling for games as a regular at Prenton Park.
But this serves as an encouraging step in her pursuit of returning for the club she loves – though it remains a long road ahead for a player who will be treated with absolute caution.
Speaking to This Is Anfield in August, Foster explained that there was “definitely not a deadline or timescale” on her recovery.
“I have a lot of injuries to repair, obviously my neck was very, very severe,” she said.
“I got to do the knee, my hip, shoulder, and lower back – you might as well just add everything to the list.
“It’s going to be a long journey, but we’re progressing.”
As a guest on the ‘We Are Liverpool’ podcast earlier in February, she set a hopeful target of the 2024 Summer Olympics – where Canada will be defending champions – as she vowed to “push to the furthest limit.”
