Senior Luke Pavlat tore his left labrum during his junior year. This year, he tore it again and is dealing with a double labral tear in his shoulder. He still hopes to recover quick enough to continue playing football in college, he said.

Initial reports from the doctors were positive based off his MRI. When Pavlat went to the shoulder specialist on Dec. 12, however, he was told his shoulder was torn in two different places and the tissue in the front of Pavlat’s shoulder was bad.

“Finding out the extent of the damage sucked,” Pavlat said. “At first we thought that I just had a mild tear, but my shoulder was basically blown out.”

In January, doctors will have to suture up his front labrum and are expecting to put at least six anchors in his shoulder to hold it in place. There is a possibility they will need to remove some of the bad tissue. 

“I’m worried about the rehab, it is not a fun or pleasant thing to go through,” Pavlat said. “I’m also worried about blowing it out again because of the tissue on the front of my shoulder.” 

Although Pavlat has had his family and friends by his side over the past two years, it has been a hard process. Pavlat’s mom, Kelly Scarberry, has been with Pavlat through the whole thing.

“They are going to go in and repair his torn labrum, but watching him have his shoulder popped back into place and knowing how much pain he has fought through has been the most difficult part,” Scarberry said

Football has been a big part of Pavlat’s life. He still hopes to have an opportunity to play in college, and his mom said she fully expects him to reach his goal.

“We have no doubt he will put in the hard work and recover stronger so that he can continue doing what he loves,” Scarberry said.