That's how close Lawrence Paterno came to being a paraplegic after a regulation beach swim went wrong.

The active 18-year-old was body surfing in mid-April when he was dumped head-first into a sandbank which left him with a broken neck.

Within 24 hours he was undergoing emergency surgery at Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital that included a bone graft to repair his shattered neck.

As someone who preferred to be outside, the following months of bed rest provided the ultimate challenge.

“I had to stay away from everybody and stay at home for the first couple of weeks,” he said.

“Not being able to drive or go where I needed to and not being able to pick up stuff or turn my head was really frustrating.”

His challenges and the obstacles he's overcome, can all be traced to that April afternoon, when he was left with a broken C6 and C7 vertebrae

“I remember falling a little bit and then having a mild concussion when I hit the sand because it was a really solid hit,” the teenager said.

“I knew I was in a bit of trouble about at the top of the wave.

“It was pretty painful from the beginning and I was hoping I was just winded, but the pain kept increasing and increasing so I knew I’d done something serious.”

The scar at the front of his neck from where surgeons had to fuse his neck together is a humbling reminder of how quickly things can change.

“It’s all millimetres; it was really close,” Paterno said.

“I’m lucky that I was pretty fit and because I did a lot of swimming, my neck muscles were pretty strong.

“After I did it, my neck muscles probably held it together whereas if I hadn’t done much it would have been a bit more serious.”

Four months on, the 18-year-old admits he is still not overly confident at the beach or in the water, but his confidence was slowly returning.

“I’ve started swimming again which is good,” he said.

“I’m really happy it’s nothing that’s effected everything else and I’m back to doing everything normally again.”

Part of the rehab process included spending most of his time bed-ridden and as a youngster who preferred to be active, he conceded it was a frustrating challenge.

“I had to stay away from everybody and stay at home for the first couple of weeks,” he said.

“Not being able to drive or go where I needed to and not being able to pick up stuff or turn my head was really frustrating.

“A week after I still felt fit physically but I knew I couldn’t do anything and I could feel my fitness and strength slowly fade.

“They said I was really, really lucky.”