In a harrowing turn of events that has gripped the local high school sports community, Jefferson High School wrestler Dominic Haines suffered a severe injury during a match that left him partially paralyzed. Competing in the Georgia High School Association Boys State Championships last Thursday in Macon, Haines sustained a broken neck in his 144-pound quarterfinal match against an opponent from Gilmer County. Following the incident, he was immediately airlifted to Arthur Blank Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where he underwent emergency surgery, as reported by Sports Illustrated. The gravity of the situation became apparent when Haines initially showed no movement from his neck down, according to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.
Yet, in a hopeful development, Jefferson wrestling coach Kyle Baird conveyed that post-surgery, Haines was alert and showing modest signs of movement. "Last night was the best night Dominic has had so far. He pretty much slept throughout the entire night," Zach Haines, Dominic's father, shared in a Facebook update cited by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The community has rallied behind Haines and his family, contributing to a GoFundMe campaign set up to assist with medical expenses. The fundraiser has nearly reached its $50,000 goal at the time of reporting. Despite the overwhelming circumstances, Haines' wrestling team found a source of inspiration in their injured teammate's resilience. They powered through the rest of the competition, clinching the State 3A team title in an emotional tribute to their fallen comrade. "It meant more than just that we won the team title. It was more because we did this for someone else," Coach Baird told FOX 5 Atlanta.
Senior wrestler Cap Benson, who has been teammates with Haines for a decade, conveyed how the team's collective heartache transformed into a fervent drive to honor their friend. "I'm Dom’s roommate for this tournament. So, all his stuff is in my hotel room. That night I texted him mom and I said, ‘Hey, I'm going to hang on to his stuff, don't worry about it.’ And then she said, ‘Okay, thank you and keep doing it for Dom.’ And when she said that…that definitely helped light a fire for, I think, all of us," Benson messaged Haines' mother, later recounting the exchange to FOX 5 Atlanta.
