Ryan Joseph, a high school wrestler from California, was paralyzed from the neck down during a competition match last week and remains in the ICU.
Joseph, a 16-year-old sophomore, had wrestled on the College Park High School of Pleasant Hill JV wrestling team for two years, ABC 7 reported. The injury occurred after another wrestler put Joseph in a hold and then he couldn’t get up, Joseph’s friend Adam Samhan told the news station.
The injured wrestler was taken to the hospital by ambulance from the match. Doctors say he has a spinal cord injury and requires assistance breathing, ABC 7 reported.
Joseph wrestled at the 160-pound weight class. He also played lacrosse and friends say he has a good sense of humor.
“Everyone likes him. He’s outgoing and everything,” Adam Samhan told ABC 7. ‘He’s a nice dude — like all the teachers love him. Smart guy, always never showed off in front of others.”
A GoFundMe page has been started by friends to help the family with medical expenses.
Twitter users were saddened by the incident.
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