Academy of Holy Angels hockey player Mason Garcia begins rehab after suffering TBI
MINNEAPOLIS — A high school hockey player who suffered a traumatic brain injury during a scrimmage last week has started rehab, and is getting right to work.
Mason Garcia, who plays for Academy of Holy Angels, took a hit to the boards during a scrimmage on Saturday. He was taken to the hospital, where an MRI and other scans were "clear," though he had limited use of his hands and lower body.
His family posted a video of him doing some leg exercises on Thursday. They said he started an acute rehab program and had a full day of occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy.
"We are so proud of Mason, how he is handling this situation and what a wonderful young man he is," the family wrote in a note. "Mason's senior hockey season will not look the way he had anticipated, but we are pretty sure his attitude, smile and humor will carry our entire family through this."
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The family also added how thankful they were for the community support.
"Every call, text, email, cookie, lasagna has genuinely lifted our, but most importantly, Mason's spirits," they wrote.
Coach Patrick Griswold said Garcia is already making promises about coming back before the end of the year.
"He said to me in the hospital on Sunday morning, he's like, 'Coach, I'm not going to be able to get going right away,' but he goes, 'I'll be ready by March 2,' and that's the state tournament. And I said, 'Well, it's actually March 9.' He goes, 'Good, I've got seven more days,'" Griswold said.
Holy Angels' season begins on Friday. There is no timetable for how long Garcia could be in the hospital.