Kearns High Football Star Facing Paralysis After Trampoline Incident
Mar 18, 2019, 10:01 PM | Updated: Mar 19, 2019, 1:42 pm
Twitter @G_2132
KEARNS, Utah – A Kearns High School football star has been paralyzed in a trampoline-related incident and his friends and family are asking for help from the community.
Audrick Afatasi, nicknamed “STAK,” was injured at a trampoline park during the weekend. As a result, he is currently paralyzed and receiving treatment at a hospital. Afatasi was star on the Kearns High football team, earning first-team all-region honors as a junior and a senior.
His coach, Matt Rickards, announced the sobering news on Twitter.
Audrick suffered a severe neck injury at a trampoline park. Right now he doesn’t have feeling from the waist down. He is in good spirits and is positive, but can use the positive thoughts and prayers. I know Audrick will come out of it stronger than ever. #stakstrong #8Afatasi pic.twitter.com/oR2cGliX6O
— COACH (@coachrickards) March 17, 2019
A GoFundMe page has been made in Afatasi’s name. The link to donate is available here.
Ryan Stipanovich, a friend of the family, set up the GoFundMe page and says Afatasi is in a good mood despite his situation.
“He himself is still in really good spirits, cracking jokes every time that I’ve seen him,” said Stipanovich in a phone call with KSL Sports.
“We’re just sticking together, banding together with lot of prayer,” said Afatasi’s father, Skee. “We’re remaining hopeful that he he’s going to pull through this.”
The injured star’s father continued to express his gratitude for the outpouring of support from others.
“Our family’s real strong, we’re getting a lot of help from the community,” said the elder Afatasi.
