Bright, popular Leipzig schoolboy Sebastian Jäger (17) lives happily with his single mother Katharina, a former luxury hotel cleaner who has a shot at promotion to managing housekeeper. Sebastian's dream, playing football (soccer) in the German national league, seemed within reach until mean, outclassed school rival Mario Tönsen injured his foot, and mother lost control while driving him, causing a car crash that leaves Sebastian spine-injured, in a wheelchair for at least half a year. During his promising, courageous rehab, with mother asking boss Bülent Tokat to demote her back to cleaner so-long to concentrate on Sebastian's needs, she bumps into freelance architectural engineering inspector Janik Novotny, a passionate pilot and extreme sports daredevil, who becomes her lover and Sebastian's buddy, encouraging him to explore alternatives that scare her. Sebastian feels socially and romantically benched as 'the cripple', rendering him morose when a crucial diagnosis suggest he may never walk again, let alone play.