A Minnesota high school football player was tragically paralyzed during a game earlier this month, but his family shared a positive development in his recovery this week. Ethan Glynn of Bloomington Jefferson was removed from his ventilator, and the 15-year-old's parents said the first words out his mouth were "Roll Tide," the rallying cry for Alabama football.
That Sept. 12 update is one of many Glynn's parents have shared online, and here it is in its entirety.
"We had a quiet weekend filled with lots of football and some much-needed rest," the post read. "Ethan continues to amaze everyone with his grit and determination. Never have we been so excited to hear the words "roll tide".... today they removed E from the vent and those were the first words out of his mouth."
Clearly, Glynn -- who was able to watch Alabama's 20-19 victory over Texas with his family this past weekend -- was happy with the result.
Glynn was paralyzed during his team's season opener on Sept. 2. The freshman made a tackle playing defense during the first quarter, but he wasn't able to get up after it. Glynn was conscious when the paramedics arrived, but it was clear something was seriously wrong. He became paralyzed from the shoulders down after suffering a severe neck and spinal cord injury.
Since then, Glynn has undergone multiple surgeries and is getting better day by day. It's still expected to be a long recovery, but he and his family appear to be in good spirits.
"The smile and twinkle in his eyes is priceless," the parents' Sept. 12 update read. "This was a huge step, and we couldn't be more thankful to reach this milestone at this point. He still has a long journey but this week is off to a great start!"
