The Tuscarawas Valley School District is currently offering counseling services after a tragic incident during a high school football game left a player, Mayson White, paralyzed. During the Friday night game against Waynedale, the 15-year-old suffered a severe injury, resulting in a fractured C4 and subsequent pressure on his spine, as reported by Cleveland19.
Mayson was taken to Akron Children's Hospital, where he underwent surgery. However, the efforts were not enough to reverse the paralysis, and he currently has "some movement in his right arm but not his hand and he can shrug his shoulders, but nothing in his legs," his mother, Amanda White, expressed her gratitude for his survival despite the devastating outcome, in a statement obtained by FOX8.
In response to the incident, Superintendent Dr. Derek Varansky confirmed the school's commitment to supporting Mayson and his family. "We are keeping Mayson and his family circled in prayer, and we are praying for a miracle. We ask our community to do so as well," Varansky stated in a post on Facebook. He also emphasized the district's offer to cover counseling costs and urged those in need to seek assistance, according to a report by News 5 Cleveland.
As the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District and the community grapple with the incident, they are rallying around Mayson. The Waynedale Athletics department reflected on the tough collision that led to such dire consequences on their Facebook page. In the meantime, to assist with his recovery journey, Mayson’s family has established a GoFundMe campaign, information about which was shared by the superintendent in the wake of the injury. The school district's teams, coaches, and administration are scheduled to meet with counselors as part of the collective healing process.
