Imagine this: You join a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class, full of excitement. But on just your third day, a move goes horribly wrong—you snap your neck and end up paralyzed for life. That’s the devastating reality 30-year-old Jack Greener faced when a high-intensity move by his instructor left him with a broken neck, changing his life forever. Let us have a look at what exactly happened.
On November 29, 2018, during a training session at the Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club, Jack Greener’s life changed forever. Being a white-belt in BJJ, Greener was paired up with his black-belt coach, Francisco Iturralde. During a sparring session on the mats, Iturralde, otherwise known as ‘Sinistro’ for his aggressive style, broke Greene’s neck. It all happened pretty quickly when Iturralde applied a high-pressure move that crushed his cervical vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed.
Greener had only recently joined the classes and was attending his third session when the incident occurred. He was just weeks away from graduating from college and launching a career as a surf instructor. Instead, he spent months hospitalized, battling multiple strokes and other serious complications.
Needless to say, Greener sued the institute for damages, and in 2023, a San Diego jury awarded him $46 million, but the amount has since then increased to over $56 million with interest after the studio became liable. The California Supreme Court was appealed by the institute for such a huge amount, but the courts rejected the claims.
The courts reported, “While sparring with Greener during a BJJ class, Iturralde gave no demonstration or active instruction. Instead, he acted more like a student coparticipant than an instructor when he immobilized and executed a series of maneuvers on Greener. But as an instructor with superior knowledge and skill of BJJ, Iturralde was differently situated from other students, and thus he can—and we conclude should—be held to a different standard.”
Despite the odds, Greener has transformed tragedy into purpose, becoming a mountain climber and motivational speaker. So, how did Greener feel when that incident happened? Let’s find out.
Jack Greener confesses to the harrowing things he felt when he broke his neck
While speaking in the Paralyzed to Peaks trailer by Vincero Collective, Greener shared that his very first thought after breaking his neck was whether he would be okay. But soon after, he realized he couldn’t move properly. “When it occurred, the first thought that came to mind was, “I’m going to be okay.” And then the second thought was, “Oh, I can’t move.”
According to the doctors, “He had a traumatic dislocation of the C4–5 region, and that’s as bad as it can get.” Greener spent months fighting to recover, enduring moments when the pain became unbearable. But in the end, he overcame it all and is now living life to the fullest—as a mountaineer.
Reacting to this incident, BJJ legend Rener Gracie stated, “The black belt instructor did a technique that placed his entire body weight on Greener’s neck, causing him to instantly fall limp and lose all function of his limbs.” Greener is all better now, but he still has some complications from his injuries. Given that, the studio will have to bear the damage cost of $56 million in the near future.
This incident just speaks to the issue of ‘accidents’ happening on the mats as a result of sometimes ‘taking training too far.’ Sometimes, a lack of oversight, especially involving an instructor as experienced as Iturralde, can lead to irreparable damage. In this case, said irreparable damage led to severe consequences. Regardless, what are your thoughts on this particular incident? Do you think the penalty was warranted for Francisco Iturralde? Let us know in the comments.
The post What Happened to Jack Greener? Jiu-Jitsu Student Who Won $56M in Lawsuit After Being Paralyzed appeared first on EssentiallySports.