Boy breaks neck during game
2008-03-27 10:06
Ermelo - A 15-year old boy from Ermelo, who came onto the field as a reserve player for the final ten minutes, broke his neck moments before the end of the match.
"It's a miracle that my child is alive and not paralysed," said David Zeelie after his son Stephan suffered a vertical fracture of his third vertebrae and bruised his second and fourth vertebrae.
Stephan was discharged from Netcare Union Hospital in Alberton on Wednesday and was recovering in bed at home on the family's farm in the Dirkiesdorp area.
Stephan, who recently injured his hand in athletics, was a reserve for the u.15 A team of the Ligbron-akademie vir Tegnologie, who played against the Tegniese Skool Vereeniging.
Fell on his neck
He started playing 10 minutes before the end of the game. He slipped on the wet field while running with the ball. A player from the other team by accident ran over him and fell with his knee on Stephan's neck.
"My wife Ethel was next to the field and ran to him," said Zeelie.
"Stephan lifted up his head, but immediately dropped back onto the grass. He said he couldn't see and had no feeling in his right side."
Stephan was immediately rushed to hospital where he was put in traction.
According to the neurosurgeon treating Stephan, the injury was very serious.
"He fortunately suffered no damage to the marrow. If the damage was serious, Stephan would have been a quadruplegic."
"We don't know if he will be able to play rugby again. At the moment it is impossible."
Stephan will soon return to the neurosurgeon to determine if the broken vertebrae was healing. If not, he will have to undergo surgery.
Meanwhile he must wear a neck brace and limit his movements.
Stephan's vision has returned but he has only 30% use of his right arm.
He will receive intensive physiotherapy for his arm.
According to his father he suffered severe pain, but this was controlled by medication.
"We are terribly grateful to the paramedics who were very professional on the scene. If it wasn't for them, the outcome could have been different."
"We also want to thank everybody for their support through prayer, SMS messages and phone calls."
It was not clear when Stephan would be able to return to school.
Dupie van Rensburg, his principal, said a video recording of the match was studied afterwards and the incident was merely an accident.
He said they were thinking of the family.