Prayers and well-wishes requested...

09-09-2008, 07:29 PM

I normally don't post this sort of thing, but....

My son Josh's friend and 2nd cousin, Tyler Olson (known affectionately as "T.O."), suffered a broken neck in last Friday's high school football game. He has an incomplete spinal cord injury, and the C5, C6, and C7 vertebrae were all affected. He was life-flighted to St. Mary's in Rochester, MN where he remains in serious condition. He has recovered some feeling and limited movement with his arms, and does have some sensation in his knees and toes. He underwent emergency surgery the night he arrived, and is undergoing another surgery today to further stabilize the back of his vertebrae. Any further prognosis remains to be seen with time.

T.O. is one of those kids....a leader, an inspiration to those around him, and a biggoofball that can make anyone laugh. Even moreso now...through everything he has maintained his strength, determination, and sense of humor. His injury has had an impact on so many that know and love him as well, and to see an entire high school football team, under their own direction, step up to the altar at church, drop to their knees, pray and cry...you realize what a tragedy this is. A junior in high school...there is never a good time for something like this to happen to anyone, but someone so young, so strong, with their whole life ahead of them...

I am simply requesting those who read this to take a moment, and say a prayer for T.O., send him a positive thought, or just think of him and his family and loved ones. Tyler needs all of the support he can get.

Thank you.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/tylerolson

http://www.kimt.com/news/local/27980999.html

Quote:

Community Prays for Injured Lake Mills Football Player by Brian Scott
KIMT News 3

LAKE MILLS, IA - Family, friends, and teammates are praying for the recovery of a North Iowa high school football player. On Sunday night, people came together in Lake Mills to pray for Tyler Olson and wish him well in his recovery, after he suffered a broken neck on Friday night. The event brought in lots of friends and fellow players.

"We're all members of the Forest City football team, we just wanted to come out and show the respect to the family, and to Tyler," said Anthony Church, his team was playing Lake Mills the night of the injury and they came out to show their support.

And they weren't alone. Several hundred people filled the Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills Sunday to show their support for Tyler. Along with prayers, many filled out get well messages to be sent to Olson. The mayor of Lake Mills told said this is the town at it's best, coming together in a time of need. The crowd was very emotional as Tyler's sister Kessa gave them an update on his condition. She says he is starting to get feeling back in his knees and toes, but his recovery could be very long.

"He was awake and his trachea tube got taken out today and he was talking to people and a lot of people came up to see him, and he was really excited," said an emotional Kessa. "We're so thankful that everybody's come and visited and all the prayers cause God is definitely hearing us and answering our prayers."

Kessa also says despite everything, Tyler's been in good spirits and hasn't lost his sense of humor. She says he was even joking around when paramedics were putting on the neck brace Friday night saying his ears were way too big for that!

Tyler Olson was hurt during his team's football game against Forest City on Friday evening. The Lake Mills Defensive Back suffered a broken neck. Sunday night, he was listed in serious condition at Saint Mary's Hospital in Rochester. Olson's family has set up a website to offer updates on his condition. You can learn more about what he's doing and post get well messages.