Middle school student in ICU after being hit in head by shot put at track meet
MASON CITY, Ill. (WEEK/Gray News) - An eighth grade student from Illinois was hospitalized with serious head injuries after he was hit by a shot put while competing at a track meet.
Ryan Swaar says his son, Parker Swaar, had just won the eighth grade shot put competition Saturday at a track meet in Mason City. Parker, a student at Illini Central Middle School, was getting ready to compete in the discus event when a shot put thrown by a seventh grade competitor hit him in the head, WEEK reports.
Parker remained in the intensive care unit at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield on Sunday. His father says he suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed, but there’s no internal swelling.
The middle schooler has been communicating with his family and re what happened. His father says he will undergo reconstructive surgery for the skull fracture in the coming days.
Illini Central Superintendent Jennifer Durbin released a statement about the accident in which she said Parker “is receiving excellent hospital care, and while his condition remains serious, we’re encouraged by the early signs in his recovery journey.”
She said the school district is committed to ing Parker and his family during his recovery. She added that counselors are available for any student needing emotional , and the district is “conducting a thorough review of all safety protocols for our athletic events.”
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