In celebration of their remarkable perseverance and personal comebacks, OrthoNebraska, the area’s largest orthopedic and sports medicine provider, honored four high school student-athletes with $1,500 scholarships in this year’s Comeback Athlete awards, held on April 22. OrthoNebraska also awarded one school organization with a $2,500 donation for equipment upgrades to support their student athletes.
OrthoNebraska works closely with athletes as they battle their way from injury through recovery to returning to the playing field, and they recognize the drive and passion that go into every triumphant comeback. OrthoNebraska created the Comeback Athlete awards four years ago to celebrate student-athletes, in middle school and older, from the community whose journey from injury to renewed strength can inspire others to keep pushing forward, no matter how challenging the setback.
Here are the four 2026 student-athlete winners and their uplifting stories, as well as the partner award winner.
Derek Brewer
SPORTS: Football, Basketball
SCHOOL: Mount Michael High School
CARE TEAM: Ryan Arnold, MD (Orthopedic Surgeon), Tanner Brickman, PT, DPT (Physical Therapist), Jordan Knoepfel, PT, DPT (Physical Therapist), Luke Collin, PT, DPT (Physical Therapist), Pat McKeon, PTA (Physical Therapist Assistant)
Derek Brewer’s comeback has been measured not only in games played, but in the way he handled a long stretch of painful uncertainty.
Brewer’s journey has included five knee operations over the course of his high school years. He first underwent a bone grafting and fixation procedure on his right knee in 2023, followed by multiple additional surgeries involving both knees. At one point, the prospect of missing his senior football and basketball seasons forced a difficult decision. Working with his family and physician, Brewer chose a path that would allow him to manage symptoms, maximize rehabilitation and keep competing through his senior year before undergoing a fifth operation after basketball season.
What stands out most is the way Brewer carried himself through all of it. His physician described him as committed, polite, positive and exceptionally mature. Despite repeated setbacks, he never complained, let his attitude slip or stopped attacking rehab with discipline and perseverance. Even when injury limited what he could do on the field and court, he still found ways to be an inspiring teammate, captain, role model and contributor to his teams’ success.
“Practices, lifts, unity meals, if my team was there, so was I,” he said. “I wanted them to know I was still all-in.”
Brewer also distinguished himself outside athletics, balancing strong academics, extracurricular involvement, work, spiritual growth and a commitment to serving others. His comeback reflects the kind of character that stays steady even when the outcome is uncertain. “My comeback taught me more than I ever expected, not just about sports, but about who I am and who I hope to become,” he said.
Ava Hamilton
SPORT: Track and Field
SCHOOL: Elkhorn South High School
CARE TEAM: Ryan Arnold, MD (Orthopedic Surgeon), Wendi Sanny, PT, MPT (Physical Therapist), Erica Fry, PTA (Physical Therapist Assistant)
Ava Hamilton’s journey demanded a level of toughness few student-athletes are ever asked to find.
Over the course of her athletic career, Hamilton underwent bilateral ACL reconstructions as well as bilateral meniscus surgeries. Each injury brought a long, demanding recovery process. Each setback required discipline, patience and mental toughness. But rather than letting those injuries close the door on basketball, the sport she loved, Hamilton kept showing up to do the work and found a new venue — the track.
What followed was the kind of comeback that turns heads.
After her third knee surgery, Hamilton returned to sprinting and qualified for the state track meet in the 100-meter event. That achievement reflected more than physical recovery. It showed her work ethic, belief in herself and determination to keep pushing forward. Throughout rehab and training, she consistently demonstrated maturity, responsibility and leadership, serving as an example to teammates of what perseverance really looks like.
Hamilton said recovery taught her how to rebuild from the smallest victories. “Something as simple as bending my knee a few more degrees became a milestone worth celebrating,” she said. “Slowly, I regained confidence in my body and learned to trust my abilities again.”
Hamilton continues to train with the goal of reaching even greater success. “My journey has shown me that setbacks do not determine a person’s future,” she said. “With determination, resilience and support from others, it is always possible to come back stronger.”
Collin Harder
SPORTS: Football, Basketball, Track
SCHOOL: AHSTW Community School District
CARE TEAM: Eric Bonness, MD (Orthopedic Surgeon)
Collin Harder has the kind of mindset that is invaluable for teams.
During football season in his junior year, Harder suffered a season-ending injury that required surgery. Recovery was long, but he never stepped away from his team. He did not miss practices. He stayed engaged. He became a positive voice from the bench and a steady leader for teammates while working through rehab. When he finally returned to the court, he emerged as a top basketball player, bringing a level of energy his coach described as unmatched.
“The best words I had heard, ‘Cleared to play!’” he said.
Harder is a student-athlete deeply involved in school and community life. He has served in every position in his 4-H club, leads service projects, serves as AHSTW FFA president after previously serving as vice president, earned his Iowa FFA degree and competes in FFA events each year. He is also active in youth council work, emcees large county events and serves his church community. In the classroom, he has maintained over a 4.0 GPA while taking 16 college credits, tutoring younger students and earning recognition through National Honor Society and Silver Cord service hours.
“I have new appreciation for injuries, especially those that require surgery or make you miss the season,” he said. “Sports are so important for time management, mental health, teamwork and energy release. I was able to get all that back and more.”
Annabelle Bang
SPORT: Golf
SCHOOL: Elkhorn High School
CARE TEAM: Eric Samuelson, MD (Orthopedic Surgeon), Kendall Camernesi, PT, DPT (Physical Therapist), Gregg Schlueter, PT, DPT, ATC (Physical Therapist)
Annabelle Bang knows what it means to start over and keep going.
In September 2021, Bang suffered a significant injury to her right knee. An MRI confirmed an ACL tear, and surgery followed. For months, she committed herself to rehab, working to regain strength, mobility and confidence.
That work paid off when she returned to sports in May 2022. But just months later, she faced another devastating setback: a re-tear of the same ACL in October 2022. Instead of walking away from the sport, Bang chose to fight through a second major recovery. She underwent ACL reconstruction revision in December 2022 and once again threw herself into the demanding rehabilitation process.
“My underlying competitive nature is one of the main attributes that got me through the recovery process,” she said. “It kept me going even on the days where I didn’t improve at all because it kept me on the path to get back to the sport that I love.”
By October 2023, Bang was back in competition. Since then, she has performed at an elite level, placing in the Top 10 at the Nebraska Class B State Golf Championships for three consecutive years and finishing an impressive fifth in 2025. Along the way, she also helped lead Elkhorn back to the state tournament for the first time since 2018 and broke the school record for best 9-hole season scoring average. Her coach praised not only her work ethic and determination, but also her leadership, noting that teammates voted her team captain as both a junior and a senior.
“Pushing through an injury the whole season was a whole new type of challenge that was very hard to navigate,” she said. “In the end, I believe that the surgeries and other injuries have helped me discover more about myself and how to be mentally tough.” At the awards ceremony, she told her parents that she was a bit shocked when she won. “It means the world to me to win the Comeback Athlete award. I feel like this award also gives inspiration to many others who have had to make a comeback,” she said.
PARTNER AWARD WINNER:
DC West High School
DC West High School is this year’s partner award winner, recognized for its commitment to student-athlete safety and support. OrthoNebraska’s $2,500 donation will help advance that mission through equipment and program needs, including the ability to keep an AED at their outdoor venue throughout the year.
The partner award honors school organizations that are investing in safer, stronger athletic environments for students. DC West High School reflects that ethos through its support of young athletes and its focus on creating conditions where they can compete, recover and thrive.
Whether you’re an athlete, a busy parent or simply a person needing medical attention, OrthoNebraska has the highly personalized care and support you need to conquer your injuries and physical setbacks.
Visit OrthoNebraska.com to learn more.
