Once in a while, you hear a sporting story that reminds you why players are on one side of the white line and you the other.
It might be a tale of childhood adversity, like Shane Williams being told that he was too small for rugby. Or David Beckham staying for hours on end at the end of training to practice the aspects that remained in his control. There is a gene there that is missing in most.
Galway's Paul Conroy reminded us of the obsessive GAA DNA that can thrill, frustrate and inspire. Paul suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg, as well as a hairline fracture in his right, when Galway played Kerry.
Such trauma would lay most low, but not a true Tribesman. His road to recovery holds no room for passengers - well, maybe his phone.
"I think [the injury] happened in the twentieth minute, and I had my phone with me. I actually watched the second half in the A&E department, on the RTE Player on the phone. So that kept me occupied for a while!"
Paul was in reflective mood as to the injury itself, which he felt was fortunate to happen in Croke Park where the medical facilities are much better than GAA pitches nationwide.
"I looked down and I saw a lump sticking out where it shouldn't have been and I said to myself 'I'm in trouble here - I better stay down and not try and get up,'" said with usual Gaelic understatement.
"I don't really remember it being really, really, really sore - I think the body goes into shock.
"I don't remember an excruciating pain, but I'm sure it was there."
Thankfully, he is by no means alone in his recovery. Paul has already heard from several sportspeople who have befallen a similar layoff - not least of whom is Ireland football captain, Seamus Coleman.
"I have been talking to a couple of players, footballers and soccer players who have had a similar injury as well," said Paul.
"I was on to Seamie Coleman there yesterday, he gave me a shout. It was nice to hear from him. He had a very similar injury to myself. So getting a couple of tips of those boys is great."
On the advice that Coleman had given him, Paul explained that this was a mental trauma that he needed to overcome.
"He was just saying that he had a very positive mindset straight away, and that he found that made an awful big difference. A lot of people were saying to him that he might not ever be the same again, or as be as good as he was. But he used that as motivation to come back.
"He was saying that he trained with the first team at Everton six months after the injury that happened against Wales in March.
"It was great to hear from somebody like that, and it certainly gives you that bit of motivation to try and get back earlier than expected. It might not work out like that, but it was good to hear from someone like that."
And with Paul's attitude, it will feel like no time before he's sliding in for 50-50s on Croker's slick turf once again.
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