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A year ago, a couple faced what they called 'the toughest year of our lives.' But they faced it together, and they’re stronger for it.

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We see people who stay strong in the face of insurmountable odds in movies and shows all the time, but there are heroes all around us.

Challenges are a part of life. But some have bigger and harder hurdles than others. Their inspiring stories remind us that all we are capable of greatness, that we are strong.

"Ben-Hur" hits theaters in the U.S. on Aug. 19. In preparation, Paramount asked viewers to share their moments of triumph over adversity using the hashtag #MyGreatestVictory on social media. This is one of those stories.

On Aug. 13, 2015, Stephen Connolly hopped on his motorcycle and left for work at 4 a.m.

He’d had a tooth extraction the night before, and his wife, Laura was worried that he wasn’t well enough to head into work, especially since, as a warehouse operative, his job is physically demanding. She asked him to stay home, but he reassured her that he was OK.

‌Image via Dragunsk Usf/Flickr. ‌

Three minutes later, he got into an accident that would turn their world upside down.

Fortunately, Stephen's crash happened right in front of the local police and fire station and was able to receive help immediately.

"Having spoken with 2 police officers who witnessed the full accident it turns out he passed out while driving, slumped forward and accelerated the throttle, the bike lost control and he crashed into a metal bollard and then onto a large tree with the bike coming down on top of him, he was unconscious,” Laura said in an email.

When she got to the hospital, Laura found her husband broken.

Panic set in, but she knew she needed to be strong for him and for their 2-year-old son. And the news wasn’t good. Stephen was alive, but he’d sustained leg and ankle fractures and broken his shoulder and clavicle in seven places.

‌Image via Laura Mcevoy, used with permission. ‌

He was completely bedridden and she’d have to do everything for him.

That realization was hard on both of them. Said Laura, "He tried so hard to be my brave husband but you could see how much pain he was in." Life as they knew it had changed.

Stephen went from being an extremely independent and hardworking man to his wife’s patient. And Laura found herself balancing being a wife, mother, and caregiver.

Laura cared for Stephen 24/7, bathing him, feeding him, dressing him, and learning how to move him without affecting his healing body. And as they faced complication after complication — bones that wouldn’t heal, extra surgeries, blood clots — she didn’t waver. She said, "It was just a natural thing for me to ensure my husband was pain free, clean…" She takes her wedding vows seriously and "in sickness and health," she’d pledged to be by his side.

‌Image via Laura Mcevoy, used with permission. ‌

Laura leaned on her friends, family, and neighbors to get her through the darkest days.

She learned to take everything day by day and appreciate whatever kindness was offered. From friends who took their son for walks, to her mother and mother-in-law who dropped everything to care for her son so that she could care for Stephen, to the neighbors who knew what they were going through and dropped groceries off to show their support — every bit of kindness helped.

And most of all, Laura believed that their love would be the anchor holding them both together through the tough times.

She says that she and Stephen always knew they were meant to be, and one song in particular reminded her of that and gave her comfort. Rebekah Jordan’s "I Will Be Loyal to You":

When you have hard times, and all others

Are gone, I will be there when the troubles come, through sunshine or rain when no help can be found, things may seem hopeless but just look around

I will be there to the end with you, I'll do my best to be faithful and true, through the hardest of days we will choose the right ways,

My commitment I prove

I will be loyal to you

Laura and Stephen on their wedding day, via ELBE Photography. Used with permission.

‌Laura said, “Yes we had bad days, yes we had bad luck, we have had the hardest year of our life, but we have made it through…”

Their love and resilience in the face of Stephen’s accident reminds us of the power of love and — as cliché as it may seem — how fleeting life can be.

Everything can change in a moment. Today, Stephen is back at work. He’s not 100%, but he’s slowly rebuilding his strength. Their relationship is stronger than ever, though there are still challenges ahead. And Stephen never leaves home without kissing his son and his wife goodbye because they know now how quickly things can change and how important it is to show each other as much love as possible — every single day.

We've all had moments when it felt like life knocked us down and stood on us. But somehow, we get through those times.

Share your moments of triumph with Paramount using the #MyGreatestVictory hashtag. You never know who your story will inspire.

Why parents should absolutely know the risks of their kids' playing football.

Two doctors think we need to put an end to high school football, but maybe there's another way.

Each Friday night in the fall, high school students take the field in a quintessentially American tradition: football.

Families around the country file into bleachers at their local high school campuses, ready to take in the action. Might they be watching a future NFL superstar? Will they be able to look back on the game one day and say, "Oh him? I saw him play back when he was in high school"?

It's a tradition that brings whole communities together.

Two Louisville, Kentucky, schools take the field. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images.

But not everyone is so sold on the benefits of high school football.

Two Minnesota doctors are calling on schools to drop their football programs out of concern for student safety.

Doctors Steven Miles and Shailendra Prasad penned an editorial for the January 2016 issue of the American Journal of Bioethics, titled "Medical Ethics and School Football." In it, they argue that while putting an end to youth football programs is unrealistic, the current set up of school football is unethical in that students and parents aren't fully aware of the risks involved, such as concussion.

Marysville-Pilchuck High School football players gather during a game against Meadowdale High School. Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images.

Between 5 and 20% of high school players will have at least one concussion over the course of a season.

Not only that, but after someone has a concussion, the risk of additional concussions increases. But what's the big deal? Well...

"A concussion increases the risk of a later catastrophic brain or neck injury that may result in paralysis or death," write Miles and Prasad. "Studies show that football concussions are highly likely to cause headaches and difficulty concentrating or performing schoolwork for a week, several weeks or even longer."

In 2015 alone, seven high school football players around the country have died as the result of on-field injuries.

The Shoreham Wading River High School team gets ready for its first game after teammate Tom Cutinella died on the field. Photo by Andrew Theodorakis/Getty Images.

Not only are the odds of making it in the pro leagues remote, but risk of serious injury only gets worse.

The odds of going pro are slim, with just 0.08% of high school varsity football players going on to play professionally. Even then, the average career is only 3.3 years.

Concern about the long-term effects of sustaining multiple concussions has been mounting for years now, and even some who make it to the NFL have some major doubts. For example, Chris Borland, who signed a four-year, almost $3 million, contract in 2014, retired from the league after just one season, giving up millions of dollars in the process.

And just last week, St. Louis Rams quarterback Case Keenum took a nasty hit, leaving him concussed. Despite what seemed obvious to those of us watching from home, neither coaches nor refs believed Keenum needed to be pulled from the game following this hit. He stayed in for two more plays.

GIFs from NFL/CBS Miami.

But is banning football really the most practical solution?

While Miles and Prasad's proposed ban would surely reduce the risk of football-related injuries, it's a solution that's unlikely to stick. It's a well-intentioned, idealistic plan, albeit one based on the very real concerns and risks involved with playing a high-contact sport. And maybe their proposal will pass. Anything is possible.

But in the meantime, and just in case it doesn't, there's no reason we shouldn't be doing the next best thing for football players: Parents, coaches, players, yes, even those of us in the bleachers, need to be informed about the risks that go along with playing football, and we need to understand the symptoms of concussions.

Wearing protective gear like helmets isn't enough in itself to keep a player safe from injury, but making sure they're wearing it correctly can help reduce the risk of serious injury. Chin straps, mouth guards, and other protective measures should be taken.

If you know the risk of injury and you're wearing protective gear, what's left is for players, parents, and coaches to keep a keen eye out for concussion symptoms — which aren't always immediately apparent. Symptoms include headache, confusion, amnesia, nausea, delayed response, and ringing in the ears, among others.

Mayo Clinic has a quick rundown of how to know if you have a concussion and what to do in the event that you do to avoid long-lasting or even permanent damage (hint: don't go back into the game that day).

Have fun, but be safe!

South Plaquemines High School football players look on with concern as a player is treated for an injury during a football game against Belle Chase High School. Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images.