Minutes after pulling into the car park at Melbourne’s Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Kew earlier this week, James McQuillan and his girlfriend Kathryn James greeted us at the front door.

James has only just progressed from powered wheelchair to a manual model and jumps at every chance to dart up the corridor from his bedroom to put an extra couple of hundred metres rehabilitation into his arms.

The cheeky smile that his Albury teammates often talk about was plastered all over his face as well.

CLICK HERE for a replay of The Footy Show video clip where James describes his memories of the clash and his thoughts on recovery. 

Is this really the same person who three months ago today lay motionless in eerie silence on Albury Sportsground with no feeling in his arms or legs after a seemingly innocuous collision with a Yarrawonga opponent?

You bet.

In the days and weeks that have passed James has never asked: ‘Why me?’.

That’s not his way.

“I just think I was unlucky,” James said.

“I’m not angry at all.

“I never have been, to be honest.

“There isn’t much you can do now so you have to keep plugging away and looking ahead.

“I have been frustrated at times with rehab because it’s hard work and sometimes you can’t see the benefits straight away but they come and you just have to be patient.”

With his girlfriend Kathryn James and parents Jo and Jack constantly by his side, James is ticking the boxes slowly but surely in his rehabilitation since being diagnosed as a C5 quadriplegic.

He has feeling from the mid-chest up with some sensation in his hands.

James does four to five hours a day on rehab, strengthening muscles that still work and learning to look after himself, before trying to get out at weekends for a movie or catching up with mates.

“James has had the best outlook,” Kathryn said.

“The whole time particularly in the early days he was dragging us through.

“We thought it would be the other way around.

“He’s been striving forward with his rehab, and has always been extremely determined.

“The last few months have been incredibly tough for James and everyone that cares about him, but the whole time James has remained optimistic.”

James’ memories of being injured during the second quarter of Albury’s round-1 clash against Yarrawonga on April 5 are vivid.

While painful, they certainly don’t haunt him.

He feared the worst the

moment contact was accidentally made to the head.

“I remember pretty much all of it besides about 30 seconds or a minute before the contact,” he said.

“I knew I was in big trouble.

“Straight away I was no good as I couldn’t feel or move my arms and legs.

“The trainers and ambos were incredible in looking after me.”

One of the first people on the scene was Kathryn, who is a trainer at Albury.

The pair have been going out since finishing their schooling at Echuca’s St Joseph’s College and Moama Grammar and moving to Albury to study physiotherapy at Charles Sturt University in Thurgoona.

“I just remember seeing someone go down and another player waving the trainers over,” Kathryn said.

“Two trainers took off in front of me and I think I was about the third person there.

“I didn’t realise it was James until I was 20 metres away and my stomach just dropped.”

It’s clear James is big on setting goals.

Barring infections and any other setbacks, he has a list of physical milestones he wants to reach as well as a growing number of events he is eager to be involved in starting with the Melbourne Marathon on October 12.

The former Bendigo Pioneers TAC Cup player hopes to do 10 kilometres in his chair surrounded by many of his family and friends.

James wants to return to his family’s dairy farm near Echuca in late October or November before recommencing university early next year.

“I have some goals I’m working towards,” he said.

“It’s something to aim for.

“I’m doing a subject at the moment to keep my brain ticking over, plus it’s a bit of a distraction.

“I will probably go back studying part-time.

“It might take a couple of years but it’s something I’m really passionate about — I’ll give it a real shake and see how I go.”

James and Kathryn also have 21st birthday parties planned for later in the year.

High-profile visitors have regularly come through the doors at Royal Talbot with Australian cricketing legend Shane Warne and star Essendon footballer Brendan Goddard leading the way.

Being a mad Bombers supporter, skipper Jobe Watson and former coach James Hird have spoken to James on the phone while Lavington’s Justin Koschitzke has become a “good mate” over the past few months.

Yarrawonga’s Chris Kennedy and Marcus Cummins, along with a host of Albury and Echuca teammates, have also dropped in to see him.

“‘Warney’ is a great storyteller,” he said.

“It’s hard not to be positive because I have such a great family and girlfriend and great friends around me.

“If I’m not having a great day I’ll text one of my mates and talk a bit of rubbish and catch up with what’s happening with them.

“I just love it when friends come in and hang out.

“It’s incredible how the whole community has come together and organised things like the James McQuillan Trust Fund.

“It’s a bit overwhelming and very humbling.

“I can’t thank them enough.”

One of his biggest inspirations has been fellow quadriplegic Beau Vernon.

Vernon suffered similar spinal injuries playing football for Leongatha two years ago while reaching down for a ball like he had done so many times before.

He is employed by the AFL and handles insurance matters.

“He’s an incredible person,” James said.

“He was at Royal Talbot and the people here said ‘you have to meet this guy’.

“It just shows what you can do when you put your mind to it.

“He’s getting into wheelchair rugby and other sports, that’s something I would like to do.”

Rest assured, James will give himself every chance.