Junior Hockey Player Who Suffered Spinal Cord Injury On Long Road To Recovery
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A junior hockey player who suffered a severe spinal cord injury last month in Hoffman Estates is said to have a real chance of recovering.
Matt Olson, a defenseman for the Chicago Cougars, went head-first into the boards during a Feb. 21 game against the Illiana Blackbirds, and he was left without the ability to move anything below his shoulders.
Several hours of surgery at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, including a first-of-its kind stem cell therapy, give his neurosurgeon real hope.
"He has a very long journey ahead of him, but we know Matt, the person that he is, and that he will face these challenges with the same work ethic and tenacity that made him a great hockey player," said his mother, Sue.
Olson, a native of Isanti, Minnesota, came to Chicago several months ago to play with the Cougars.
"Matt was coming close to realizing his dream of playing college hockey while he was here in Chicago, but all of that changed," his mother said.
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Dr. John Ruge, a neurosurgeon treating Olson, said the 20-year-old did not sever his spinal cord but pinched it, and he has hope, "not just generic hope," of getting better. However, that will take time and millions of dollars in medical costs.
Olson's father, Doug, said people can support his son through their prayers and donations to a GoFundMe page set up to help support his recovery.
