A Union City coach paralyzed in a freak accident was moved to the Shepherd Center Monday.
Channel 2 Action News first told you about this story earlier this month.
Union City community football coach Jonathan Magwood loves football, and he loves the kids so much that he coached the Union City Eagles for nearly five years, all on his own time in addition to his real job.
A few weeks ago, at the end of the season banquet in Peachtree City, he was paralyzed in a freak accident. His fiancé said he was jumping on a trampoline and attempted to land in a foam pit head on, but landed on his neck.
He was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center and, just days ago, was transferred to Buckhead’s Shepherd Center for rehab.
Channel 2’s Diana Davis spoke with Jonathan’s mom, Mallory Magwood, about what doctors are telling the family.
“They encourage him. As far as his rehabilitation, it may take time it may be strenuous, but he’s gonna get through it,” Mallory Magwood said.
The Union City community came out in droves for a fundraiser over the weekend. Mallory Magwood said the money raised for medical expenses through a gofundme account exceeded her expectations and warmed the family's heart.
“It’s just a blessing to have a support group like that around me and also around Jonathan,” she said.
Doctors say the broken vertebrae are so high up on Jonathan’s neck, the paralysis is complete and permanent from the neck down.
The family told Davis, from the start, they haven’t given up on a miracle.
“Hopefully and preferably, he’ll be able to eat with his hands and be able to walk again,” she said.
The coach is currently in intensive care. He can’t breathe on his own or talk since he’s on a respirator. His family hopes he will be weaned off soon.
His mom said she and the coach’s finance visit him every day.
“I spent the night with him last night. Before I left, he gave me a big smile even though he has a tube in his mouth, his cheeks went up and I could tell he was smiling,” she said.
The family told Davis they doesn’t know how long Jonathan Mallory will be at Shepherd Center, but that the big priority now is getting him off the respirator so he can breathe on his own.
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