Two months after paralyzing spinal cord injury, Mason-Hale on the mend

manouli · 11-10-2008, 10:54 AM

Two months after paralyzing spinal cord injury, Mason-Hale on the mend

Chris Mason-Hale vividly remembers the football play that changed his life. The scene rolls through his mind with the same detail as the action movies he watches on his portable DVD player at Kernan Hospital.

A senior linebacker for Western Tech in Catonsville, Mason-Hale went for a routine tackle in the final scrimmage of the preseason, Aug. 29 at Northeast.

"It was a dive," Mason-Hale said of the common short-yardage play. "They gave the running back the ball, and he came through the one hole. I'm always the go-to guy because I'll make the hit, and I went for the kill shot. That's when you go outside him, but when I tried to hit him, he popped up and my head flew back."

At that moment, the C-5 vertebra in his neck broke. The bone pushed into his spinal canal and bruised the spinal cord, a paralyzing injury. Two months after the injury occurred, Mason-Hale remains in a wheelchair, but he has some movement and feeling in all four limbs.
"I remember as soon as I hit him, I couldn't feel anything, so I fell straight to the ground," Mason-Hale said. "When I hit the ground, I could feel everything. All of a sudden, I could feel my arms and I could feel my legs. Nobody came over at first because everybody thought I was going to get up."

Mason-Hale can move his arms, fingers and toes, but he can't walk. His prognosis for getting back onto his feet remains uncertain, but his spirits seem to know no bounds.

"There's no point in being depressed because most of the time, it just hinders your ability," he said. "If you don't think you can, then usually you can't."

more...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/h...,4245274.story

manouli · 11-10-2008, 11:03 AM

One more painfull story.

Lawsuit claims school board, others negligent

Nov 05, 2008 - 03:32 PM

By Melissa Mancini

DURHAM -- The family of an injured teen wrestler, now confined to a wheelchair, is seeking $65 million in damages.

The statement of claim filed by the Box family alleges negligence on behalf of the defendants. The claims have not been proven in court, but include allegations that Michael Box was moved after he sustained his injury during the wrestling match.

The defendants "failed to observe the cardinal rule of injury care being not to move an injured student . . ." says the statement of claim, filed in Whitby.

Michael, 16, is now quadriplegic after a wrestling match at Ajax High School in Pickering. Michael and his family are suing 16 defendants, including the Durham District School Board, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and four sport associations for $65 million.

Michael sustained a spinal cord injury while competing in a high school wrestling match in December 2007. He was admitted to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in early December until he was moved to Bloorview Kids Rehab in Toronto in January, where he stayed until about two months ago.

more...

http://newsdurhamregion.com/article/112240

11-10-2008, 10:54 AM	#1
manouli Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: florida Posts: 9,356	Two months after paralyzing spinal cord injury, Mason-Hale on the mend Two months after paralyzing spinal cord injury, Mason-Hale on the mend Chris Mason-Hale vividly remembers the football play that changed his life. The scene rolls through his mind with the same detail as the action movies he watches on his portable DVD player at Kernan Hospital. A senior linebacker for Western Tech in Catonsville, Mason-Hale went for a routine tackle in the final scrimmage of the preseason, Aug. 29 at Northeast. "It was a dive," Mason-Hale said of the common short-yardage play. "They gave the running back the ball, and he came through the one hole. I'm always the go-to guy because I'll make the hit, and I went for the kill shot. That's when you go outside him, but when I tried to hit him, he popped up and my head flew back." At that moment, the C-5 vertebra in his neck broke. The bone pushed into his spinal canal and bruised the spinal cord, a paralyzing injury. Two months after the injury occurred, Mason-Hale remains in a wheelchair, but he has some movement and feeling in all four limbs. "I remember as soon as I hit him, I couldn't feel anything, so I fell straight to the ground," Mason-Hale said. "When I hit the ground, I could feel everything. All of a sudden, I could feel my arms and I could feel my legs. Nobody came over at first because everybody thought I was going to get up." Mason-Hale can move his arms, fingers and toes, but he can't walk. His prognosis for getting back onto his feet remains uncertain, but his spirits seem to know no bounds. "There's no point in being depressed because most of the time, it just hinders your ability," he said. "If you don't think you can, then usually you can't." more... http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/h...,4245274.story

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11-10-2008, 11:03 AM	#2
manouli Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: florida Posts: 9,356	One more painfull story. Lawsuit claims school board, others negligent Nov 05, 2008 - 03:32 PM By Melissa Mancini DURHAM -- The family of an injured teen wrestler, now confined to a wheelchair, is seeking $65 million in damages. The statement of claim filed by the Box family alleges negligence on behalf of the defendants. The claims have not been proven in court, but include allegations that Michael Box was moved after he sustained his injury during the wrestling match. The defendants "failed to observe the cardinal rule of injury care being not to move an injured student . . ." says the statement of claim, filed in Whitby. Michael, 16, is now quadriplegic after a wrestling match at Ajax High School in Pickering. Michael and his family are suing 16 defendants, including the Durham District School Board, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and four sport associations for $65 million. Michael sustained a spinal cord injury while competing in a high school wrestling match in December 2007. He was admitted to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in early December until he was moved to Bloorview Kids Rehab in Toronto in January, where he stayed until about two months ago. more... http://newsdurhamregion.com/article/112240