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Princeton recruit Neil Doef regains sensation in one leg after spinal cord injury
The best news you might read this week is that Neil Doef, the Smiths Falls Bears player who suffered a spincal cord injury one month ago, is responding to rehabiliation treatment.
It is important to remain clear-eyed about how serious the challenges are for a family with a son who has sustained paralysis. That is why more than $100,000 in donations for Doef and his parents, Bobbi-Jean and Bruce Doef, has been collected since the player's injury at the World Junior A Challenge in Dec. 14. Hope is powerful, though, so it would be remiss not to relay that Doef has regained sensation in one of his legs.
Here's Neil's grandmother Dolores Beaupre, speaking with the Smiths Falls Record-News' Laurie Weir:
“I don’t care if he ever plays hockey again, I just hope he is able to walk,” she told the Record News on Monday, Jan. 12.
“He is coming along. His spirits are good and he has a good outlook,” she said."He has some feeling in one leg and a couple of toes on the other. Ernie (husband) has gone to see him today, so hopefully he'll have even more good news."
... “Bruce (Neil’s father) took him in the wheelchair [Sunday] to Tim Hortons… in the hospital,” said his grandmother. “He is a determined young man so hopefully we will see him walk again.”(Smiths Falls Record-News)
A posting on the DOEFSTRONG97 Facebook group indicated that one major obstacle for Doef will be returning to his family's home in Smiths Falls. Renovations or a move in order to make Neil's home more navigable are likely going to be a need, so it's important to keep the story fresh.
All Central Canada Hockey League teams are wearing ND19 helmet stickers for the balance of the season.
The Canadian Junior Hockey League will also be holding a fundraiser for the Doefs at its prospects showcase on Jan. 20 in Oakville. Donations can also be made at Scotiabank branches in the Ottawa area. Every bit would help.
Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.
