HIGHLAND — Lone Peak goalie Taylor Payne has had a passion for soccer ever since he was 5 years old. That passion still burns intensely today thanks to his mother, LeeAnn.
Not long after his birth on Dec. 9, 1985, Taylor's neck got kinked and his mother took him to the chiropractor. She felt that something was wrong with her son.
She mentioned it to her husband, and his response was, "I think he is fine; don't worry about it." After the chiropractor told LeeAnn nothing was wrong with Taylor, she took him to a pediatrician.
"He thought I was crazy," LeeAnn said.
Despite being told Taylor was fine, LeeAnn was still not satisfied.
Determined to find out what was wrong, LeeAnn's next step was to take him to a specialist at Newington Children's Hospital in Connecticut.
It was there LeeAnn and her husband, Dean, finally got an answer: Taylor, 2 months old then, had both scoliosis and kyphosis.
Kyphosis is an excessive curve of the spine, such as of a "hunchback." It affects the spine behind the chest where scoliosis deals with the sideways curve of the spine.
"The doctor said 'how in the world did you know this? We usually don't catch this until they are older when it is too late to correct,' " LeeAnn said.
The doctors monitored him until he was 2 1/2. By then the curve in his back had become so serious that surgery was necessary. During the 12-hour surgery, the doctors fused one side of his vertebrae and left the other side open, hoping to get correction in the curve.
"The first surgery went well," Dean Payne said. "They didn't know if this would solve it forever. We knew he was a possible candidate for more surgery."
After his first surgery and nine months in a body cast and another year with a brace, Taylor went on with life. He hung out with his friends and got involved with sports. He started playing soccer when he was 5. When he was 11, he started playing competitive soccer with Dave Woolley's U-11 Rangers. Taylor started playing goalie when he was 13, and his freshman year he made Lone Peak's varsity team as a backup goalie.
As he continued to play, his back continued to deteriorate. It got to the point where five of his ribs were sticking out three to four inches. His parents and doctors knew it was time for the second surgery.
Near the end of October 2001, Taylor went in for a 10-hour procedure. Then five days later he went through another 12 hours of surgery. During this procedure the surgeons took our five ribs, fused 12 vertebrae and put two metal titanium rods and 16 screws in his back.
But during the middle of this surgery Taylor's right leg went numb.
His parents were told of the problem. After receiving steroids Taylor was finally able to move his foot seven hours later. Even then all he could do was drag it. It took him several months before he could pick up his foot.
The year in recovery was no easy task. For six months he couldn't bend over, twist or lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk.
Through all this Taylor's parents never once heard him complain.
"He is a really determined kid," LeeAnn said. "This hasn't held him back. The only time he uses it as an excuse is when he has to clean the room or mow the lawn."
A year later, in November 2002, Taylor returned to the soccer field. For Dean and LeeAnn Payne, seeing their son return to the game he loves was exciting. Since earning the starting spot as goalie for Lone Peak, Taylor has given up only four goals through nine games in leading the Knights to an 8-0-1 record.
"We were just thrilled the guy can walk," LeeAnn said. "To see him back on the field was real thrilling. You can tell when things are harder for him. He plays through pain well. It is hard to see him throw his body at others. I still bury my head in my blanket a lot on some plays. But he is doing what he loves."