Donations and prayers are being sent to Atlanta youth football coach Jonathan Magwood after he broke two vertebrae in his neck in a freak accident on November 30.
Magwood attempted a front flip from a trampoline into a foam pit during his team's end of season banquet, and landed on his neck. He now faces a lifetime of paralysis.
The 28-year-old was the coach of the Union City Eagles, a community league of boys 10 years old and younger. His fiancée, Teaa Alston, said Magwood loved his job.
"Football is his passion," she told WSB-TV. "He just transferred his love of football into children because he loves children as well. Some of the little boys on the team told me that he gave them life skills, not only on the football field."
Witnesses say that after Magwood landed in the foam pit at Rockbridge Adventures in Peachtree City, he stopped moving. He complained of not being able to feel his body, and was bleeding from the mouth and head. A medical helicopter flew him to Atlanta Medical Center, where doctors delivered the life-changing news.
"The only thing he could say to me was just look at me and just kinda shake his head, 'You know mum, I'm sorry,' but I told him, 'There's nothing to be sorry about,'" Magwood's mother, Mallory, explained.
The coach endured surgery to stabilise his spine, and has a feeding tube. Intensive rehabilitation will be required, as well as a ramp and other items for his long-term care at home.
Magwood's family is putting their trust in God for the hard days ahead.
"I just have to hold on to faith and know that his future will be very bright regardless of this incident," Allston said. "We're going to be there, we're not going anywhere.
"Hopefully through some rigorous rehabilitation, he will be able to move everything below his neck again and we're standing on God's faith for that."
A GoFundMe account was established for Magwood's hospital bills and other expenses, and has received over $8,000 in donations.
"Jonathan has given so much to the community and we're just asking for the community to reach into their hearts and come out to support Jonathan as he recovers," Allston said.
The family is also having a fundraiser dinner at Ronald Bridges Park in Union City on December 13 from 12pm to 3pm.
