Courtesy of Facebook
If you want to show your support for this young man and his family, visit his Facebook page by clicking here. Tina Cocumelli, a teacher at Pasadena Poly, perhaps said it best. “You are so precious to all of us in your Poly family,” Cocumelli wrote Sunday night on Facebook. “Coach Ryan spent a lot of time on the junior trip telling me that you’re the “toughest guy on the team”; well, we’ve all seen proof of that on the playing field. We know you’ll use that same toughness to battle back to full health … “When you’re well enough to read this page, you’ll know that there’s a spiritual army of people loving you and praying for you and your family. None of us will rest until you’re safely through this and back “home” with us at Poly.”
Story in today’s sports section of the Star-News on page B2
Pasadena Poly sophomore Jackson Allan, injured in a football game Saturday, underwent brain surgery over the weekend to remove swelling and a blood clot, according to accounts posted on Facebook and the school’s Web site.
Allan is in critical but stable condition, said his father, Les, who has been updating his son’s status on the Facebook group page “Get Well Jackson Allan,” which was created Saturday.
“Jackson had a good night and his mom and I are with him constantly,” wrote Les Allan on Facebook. “He is at UCLA Harbor and in the best possible hands. He had surgery which went as well as it could have. He remains stable but critical, and the next few days are key. He is under very heavy sedation but still manages an occasional response to the loving and kind words that we are relaying to him.
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“The doctors advised us that vital signs staying within a prescribed range would be a good day; and that’s what he has had. He remains critically ill, but stable.”
Allan sustained the head injury during the fourth quarter of Pasadena Poly’s Prep League game against host Chadwick on Saturday afternoon. The game was called with 3:27 left in the fourth quarter and Chadwick leading, 31-19.
Allan came off the field after the injury, sat on the bench, and after exchanging words with a teammate it was apparent the extent of his injuries were worse.
“(Allan) complained of a headache, went to the side, collapsed, fell into a coma, stopped breathing and we were all there to attend to him,” said Dr. Drew Pinsky, whose son Doug plays for the Panthers and assisted in the treatment of Allan.
Allan was tended to by several physicians in attendance, including an emergency room doctor, then taken by ambulance to Harbor UCLA Medical Center for further treatment.
The Allan family is asking that for the time being, only family members visit the hospital.
“Once Jackson is more comfortable, the family will communicate with the school about possible visits from his teammates and friends,” said Debbie Reed, the head of school.
Dr. Pinsky performed CPR on Allan after he had extreme difficulty breathing. His quick response helped save Allan’s life.
“We are especially grateful for the heroic efforts of Dr. Pinsky and prompt care and attention of Dr. (Roger) Lewis, a (Chadwick) faculty member and emergency room doctor at Harbor Medical,” Reed said through a statement. “Together with the emergency medical personnel, they made all the difference in Jackson’s progress.”
Allan is a running back and linebacker on the Pasadena Poly team. He’s rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns and has 24 tackles this season.
Well over 1,500 members have joined Allan’s Facebook page and hundreds posted get well wishes, including family, friends, and players from the Chadwick and Rio Hondo Prep football teams.
“You are in the mind of the entire Chadwick community, get well soon,” wrote Jacob-Diesel Scott Radeski.
“Rio Hondo Prep is praying for (you),” wrote Kares junior wide receiver Ryan Horton.
“You are so precious to all of us in your Poly family,” Tina Cocumelli, a teacher at Pasadena Poly, wrote Sunday night on Facebook. “Coach Ryan spent a lot of time on the junior trip telling me that you’re the `toughest guy on the team’; well, we’ve all seen proof of that on the playing field. We know you’ll use that same toughness to battle back to full health …
“When you’re well enough to read this page, you’ll know that there’s a spiritual army of people loving you and praying for you and your family. None of us will rest until you’re safely through this and back `home’ with us at Poly.”
miguel.melendez@sgvn.com
