Jake Thibeault, an 18-year-old hockey player from Fitchburg, suffered a serious injury during a game on Saturday when he went hard into the boards while playing for the Boston Bulldogs at the Eastern Alliance Kickoff tournament in Hopedale, Mass.
Thibeault suffered two fractured vertebrae and a small brain bleed and is now paralyzed from the waist down. His parents told WCVB NewsCenter 5 that doctors are unsure if their son will ever walk again, but noted that his spinal cord is not severed, meaning there is at least a chance he could.
"Chances are very slim given the nature of his injury and Jake simply said, 'Well, I'm ready to fight,'" his father, Mike Thibeault, told NBC10 Boston.
Thibeault is a senior at Milton Academy, where he plays on the hockey team. He previously played for Fitchburg High School and the South Shore Kings, among others.
Thibeault and his family will need help and support as Jake begins a long recovery process, including for rehabilitation needs, housing construction, and medical expenses. Here are some ways you can help:
- The Greg Hill Foundation launched a fundraiser for Thibeault and his family on Tuesday morning and had raised over $20,000 by the end of Tuesday's Greg Hill Show. You can donate here.
- Family friend Kevin Lizotte set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Thibeault and his family. More than $200,000 has been raised as of Tuesday morning. You can donate here.