SOURIS, Man. — A player has severe paralysis after a head-first crash into the end boards during a recent game in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Braden Pettinger, a 20-year-old defenceman with the Portage la Prairie Terriers, took a spill in a match with the Winnipeg Blues in Winnipeg on Nov. 12.
The Souris, Man., native was taken from the ice by paramedics before undergoing extensive surgery.
It's not known if he will recover from his injuries.
A GoFundMe social media page has been set up to raise money for Pettinger and his family, and plans are being made for a social in Souris on Boxing Day to raise additional funds.
The player's uncle says the family is overwhelmed by the community support they've received so far.
Pettinger had been traded by the league's Waywayseecappo Wolverines just days before the mishap.
His uncle said his nephew was thrilled to join the Terriers for his last year of the play in the MJHL, and he hoped to continue playing hockey at college.
The uncle said the Terriers' coaching staff, led by Blake Spiller, has been a pillar of strength.
