In a fleeting moment, Blayke Brailey had ascended to the pinnacle of rugby league.
Just 48 hours later, he was confronted with the possibility of losing it all.
The Sharks hooker had only begun to relish the joy of his State of Origin debut before a heartbreaking broken forearm during a clash with Manly put his series at risk.
However, Brailey made an extraordinary comeback, recovering in just three weeks to keep his Origin aspirations alive and receiving another call from Blues coach Laurie Daley.
"It was very hard," Brailey confessed.
"I don't miss out on many games. So, to play Game 1 and not be able to play Game 2 was hard. I felt a bit helpless at times, sitting on the couch, wanting to be out there and going through the pain and all the tough parts of the game. I have a lot to give back to the side and make up for, and I hopefully make New South Wales and Laurie proud."
When Brailey suffered a fractured right arm just after Game One, many believed his Origin journey was over.
While a three-to-four-week recovery was conceivable for a minor fracture, the realistic outlook suggested a return in one to two months post-surgery.
Defying expectations, the 26-year-old tackled his rehabilitation with unwavering determination.