UNCW runner one of extraordinary people of Cape Fear
Nash Mills suffers a debilitating car accident, but doesn't let it deter him from his life-long dream.
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — To the casual observer, 18-year-old Nash Mills looks like a typical college freshman: long and lanky, with a shock of auburn hair and an easy grin.
But his mild manner and calm disposition belie a deep drive for excellence not seen in many his age.
Nash is a mid-distance runner at UNC Wilmington, already making a name for himself during his first year on the track and cross-country teams.
But a near-fatal accident in the summer of 2021 almost derailed that dream.
On a trip to the beach, he and his father were hit head-on by a dump truck. The truck landed on the back of the car, and Nash was trapped inside, severely injured.
“The firefighters came and everything, ” he said. “They opened my dad’s door just fine and pulled him out and got him in the ambulance.”
Firefighters couldn’t open Nash’s door, so they tried cutting it off, to no avail.
“So, they cut the roof off and pulled me out of the roof,” he explained.
Nash woke up bloody, in an ambulance on the way to being airlifted for surgery in Savannah.
“And about 10, 15 minutes later, I looked down. I started to feel something in my leg, and I looked down and my leg was like at a 90-degree angle, so that was pretty scary, ” he remembered.
He suffered a broken right femur and a severe toe injury on the same leg. Surgeons inserted a metal rod from his knee to his hip. They also performed surgery to realign his toe.
“That was actually what the doctors were most worried about– was the toe,” he said. “They kinda figured I was gonna come back from the femur, but they were scared about the toe because that’s what you like push off with, when you’re running and stuff.”
Nash endured months of painful rehab.
His hard work earned him his spot back on his Beaufort, SC high school track team, and by the end of his senior year, Nash was an all-state runner.
His college coaches never wavered in their support for him, and say he already is a promising athlete.
Head coach Jeff Klaves calls him ‘sneaky good’.
“He’s so humble…we have this concept of being hungry, humble and smart…and Nash is one that continues to impress.”
Nash has this advice for anyone facing adversity: don’t let anything stop you.
“Set a goal and just don’t give up on it. If you can reach that goal, it’s the best feeling ever, honestly.”
A true champion, in will and spirit. And an extraordinary athlete with an amazing talent for inspiring others.
Keep track of Nash’s accomplishments at UNCW by visiting here .
