Payton McNabb, now 19, had aspirations of becoming a college athlete before a tragic incident at 17 changed the course of her life. In 2022, during a high school volleyball game, McNabb was struck in the head by a spike from a transgender player, resulting in severe injuries that nearly cost her life.
McNabb has since shared her story in the documentary “Kill Shot: How Payton McNabb Turned Tragedy Into Triumph,” created by the Independent Women’s Forum, hoping to raise awareness and prevent others from facing similar fates.
“If my story can help prevent this from happening to even one girl or woman, it was all worth it,” she said in an interview.
Before the incident, McNabb and her teammates at Hiwassee Dam High School were aware of the transgender athlete on the opposing team but were hesitant to voice their concerns. “We never thought we would ever be put in this position,” McNabb explained.
The situation escalated when the transgender player spiked the ball into McNabb’s head, knocking her unconscious and leaving her with a concussion, neck injury, and two black eyes.
In the aftermath, McNabb’s injuries were far more serious than initially believed. She was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, brain bleed, partial paralysis, and loss of vision on her right side. Ongoing symptoms included memory loss, confusion, and chronic headaches. “
The guilt Payton’s father and I carry is heavy,” her mother, Pamela McNabb, shared. “At the time, we weren’t allowed to speak up. We couldn’t say, ‘No, she’s not playing against a boy; it’s dangerous.’”
The injury forced McNabb to sit out the remainder of her senior volleyball season, dashing her dreams of playing college softball. “I had the hopes and dreams of playing college softball, but my injury set me back,” she said, admitting to depression over the loss of those opportunities.
The documentary features raw footage of the incident, along with interviews from McNabb and her family. “I would never, ever let her play today if I knew what I know now,” her mother stated in the film. “Pull your kid. Don’t play. It’s not worth what has happened to her.”
In April 2023, McNabb publicly shared her story for the first time, testifying in favor of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Bill at the North Carolina General Assembly.
Her testimony led to the state officially banning transgender athletes from competing in female sports at the middle, high school, and college levels. The decision garnered attention and criticism, including from the transgender player who had spiked the ball into McNabb’s head.
McNabb claims the player has never apologized and showed her a dismissive Instagram message saying, “Wow, I really am living rent free in your head, aren’t I?”
Now a second-year marketing student at Western Carolina University, McNabb still grapples with the lasting effects of the trauma.
Her injuries prevent her from playing collegiate softball as she had hoped, and she continues to suffer from debilitating headaches, anxiety, and cognitive issues, including memory loss and difficulty concentrating.
“I was always at the top of my class,” she said. “Learning had never been an issue before, but I still just can’t comprehend the way that I used to.”
Despite the challenges, McNabb is determined to speak out. “Every single person that fights for truth, people absolutely attack them, but it doesn’t bother me because I know what I’m saying is common sense,” she said. “It’s not about me. I’m in this for women and girls.”
