The Thomases were just like any modern American family. They
had four children, the oldest of whom ate, lived, and breathed hockey. It was
his life.
That son, Willy Alexander Thomas, known to his loved ones as
“Zander,” played hockey for Team Comcast and for Pennington School, both
located in New Jersey.
Even though he was still just a young teen, Zander truly
excelled at the sport. He had traveled to play all over the country as well as
outside the country, in Canada. His trainers included former NHL stars who
wanted him to be the best athlete he could be and who pushed him to the limit.
Zander pushed himself as well. He played at the highest
possible non-professional level, despite his young age. His games were fast,
and, as such, dangerous. The faster the pace at which a game is played, the
greater the risk of injury due to the huge impact of collisions and puck hits.
Unfortunately, Zander was eventually involved in one of
those collisions, and he was diagnosed with a concussion as a result. Even
after he began healing, he constantly complained of aches and pains and
eventually began suffering from depression. Things seemed to be turning around
for him, however, when, just three weeks after the concussion diagnosis, he
joined the National Tier I Elite Hockey League, the highest possible level for
amateur players.
Excited and seemingly back to his old self, Zander played in
a big game and felt just fine. He fell asleep on the way home but got himself
up, went inside, and went to bed without problems. It wasn’t until the next day
that things went horribly wrong. When the family went to a gathering, he
decided, uncharacteristically, to stay behind. Once left alone, Zander sent a
cryptic text to his family. What he did next, however, they could never have
imagined.
Zander parked his car near a bridge and then jumped to his
death in the Hudson River, dying almost three months to the date after his
concussion diagnosis. His pediatrician believes that the concussion Zander
suffered hindered his ability to think correctly and caused him to make a poor
decision, one he didn’t really want or intend to make.
Players across other sports, of all ages, have done similar
things, often, many believe, as a result of frontal lobe damage sustained
through the sport. While research is still being done to determine the link
between concussions and other head injuries and increased rates of suicide and
depression, many people believe there is a definite, real, and scary connection.
Zander’s
family is among those who believe in the connection, and they have formed the
UNTOLD Foundation, a nonprofit organization that teaches others about the risks
of concussions, how to reduce the risk of getting a concussion in the first
place, and the warning signs of serious brain damage. The organization also
seeks to find answers and hopefully a cure to brain, frontal lobe, and general
concussion damage. They have turned their unfortunate story into a way to bring
help, hope, and healing to others.
As
a parent, you can certainly empathize with the Thomas’ story. Take it to heart,
and do everything you can to keep your child from getting injured. Take any
injuries seriously, and monitor your child closely after any type of injury
occurs. Doing that just might save your child’s life.
No comments:
Post a Comment