A Manitoba hockey player, paralyzed during a game, is making small improvements in hospital.
Braden Pettinger, 20, of the MJHL’s Portage Terriers, was paralyzed from the chest down last month after sliding head-first into the boards.
Braden's uncle, Larry Pettinger, said his nephew's muscle strength is improving thanks to daily physiotherapy sessions at Health Sciences Centre.
While not a lot of new muscle groups are responding to his nephew’s brain, Pettinger said the ones that are – such as Braden's biceps - show progress.
"He does spend an hour each morning in physio and right now that pretty much drains him for the day,” Pettinger told CTV News over the phone Wednesday. “From speaking with other people who have gone through the same thing, 15 or 20 minutes of trying to make a muscle move with your brain puts you in bed for the next two or three hours."
A GoFundMe page for Pettinger has raised more than $145,000 so far; just $5,000 short of its goal.
Pettinger said Braden and his family are thankful for all the well-wishes and outpouring of support from across the country.
