Doctors optimistic on Austin Hatch's recovery
A very insightful article on Austin, his prognosis and his support system within his family and school.
As always, our thoughts and prayers are with you, Austin.
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110627/SPORTS…
Hoops player's youth, strength are pluses as he emerges from coma.
Today marks the start of recovery for Canterbury High School basketball standout Austin Hatch. He will be brought out of the medically induced coma he was placed in after his involvement in a single-engine plane crash Friday evening in Charlevoix, Mich.
“They’re waiting for the brain swelling to go down,” Dr. G. David Bojrab told The Associated Press. “He has bruising to the brain, but there’s no structural damage as far as they can tell right now, so they’re hoping that’s a good sign and he’ll have a better recovery or a full recovery.”
There are many questions regarding Austin’s future. But Kline isn’t worried about the athletic future of his star player.
“If he never plays basketball again,” Kline said, “then he’ll just become the best orthopedic surgeon he can become. He’s going to persevere because he knows what he wants in life. He has goals and a road map to follow in achieving those goals.”
Austin and his father grew closer since the 2003 plane crash.
Earlier this month, Austin and his father shared one of the most special days of their lives when the 6-foot-6, 214-pound forward received and accepted a basketball scholarship offer from the University of Michigan, the alma mater of his parents.
“There’s something special about Michigan,” Hatch told The News-Sentinel at the time. “I fell in love with Michigan the first time I visited.”
Whether Austin eventually wears the maize-and-blue two years from now remains to be seen.
“He’s a very mature, bright 16-year-old kid, and he has a great future ahead of him,” Bowersock said. We’re just focused right now on Austin getting well.”
I don't want this to sound insensitive-but what happens if he isn't able to play basketball again-is there a way for the basketball team to make sure they give him a scholarship so he can still attend Michigan?
I know there are pleny of ways for student athletes to remain on scholarship (Bass, etc.) after injuries, but I don't know about recruits. It would be great for him to keep his scholarship no matter what. Any insight would be appreciate from the MGoMasses
I don't know that the basketball program could give him a scholarship, but the school and/or private donors should be able to fund his scholarship through various means, if they choose to do so.
I can't imagine being in his situation. I hope the Michigan community takes care of him well if he still can/wants to go to school in Ann Arbor. The Brock Mealer thing set a nice precedent for what the people in Ann Arbor can do.
I agree 100%. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and those around him that will become his support system.
Replace the word hope with expect and I agree with you.
While this is hypothetical and we all hope for the best for Austin's recovery, I propose that this very blog would be the perfect place to organize a fundraising drive should he not be able to get a scholarship through the basketball program. Obviously that would be up to Brian et al, but I know many of us would probably be willing/able to chip in should the need arise.
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<br>On a more hopeful note, I can only imagine how dusty it will get inside Chrisler if he fully recovers and comes out onto the floor. Probably just as dusty as it got in Michigan stadium for Brock and his family.
I don't know of any rules stating that you CAN'T give a basketball scholarship to a player that is currently injured or recovering from an injury. I imagine he will keep his bball scholarship regardless and be declared medically ineligible and given a medical scholarship if it comes down to that.
I would suspect, given some details in this story, that finances will not be the main concern when he chooses a college. I'll bet the issue will not be meeting the cost, but being at a place where he would be well-supported emotionally. I have hopes that U-M would certainly fit that bill.
This reminds me why I pay my life insurance premiums promptly, even though they're a bitch when they roll around each year.
Good luck Austin. Your new family is with you at all times.
yes i believe they can cuz if i'm not mistaken the program did that for anouther hoops player just a few years ago....i think it was ben cronin..but i might be wrong..stress fractures ended the career
but RR promised Elliott Mealer his scholarship would be safe whether or not he ever played football.
Beyond the scholarship issue, on WTKA this am there was an update that the NCAA was studying how to allow Michigan coaches/reps making contact and giving support, at least emotionally.
some good NCAA rules. /s
Ben Cronin is on a medical scholarship after already arriving on campus and trying to play during his freshmen year. I don't think you can give that type of scholarship to someone who has never played a sport at your university.
did play his freshman year but then was red shirted when it was found out that he needed another surgery on his hip. He tried to play the next year and by the end of december it was quite noticeable that he wasn't going to be able to play.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/cronin_ben00.html
our thoughts and prayers are with you.
I would think the university would be able to figure something out for Austin and his family. RR was able to do this for the Mealer family, and you have to remember the Hatch's are almuni. I would expect no less than see this kid attend UM for a four year degree.
Since I've become aware of Austin's tragedy, I've caught myself complaining about little things but quickly remind myself to "think about Austin and what HE has to endure. HE'S not complaining."
I've been thinking about this young man a lot and pray he makes a full recovery and leads a normal, happy life.
I am studying for my orthopaedic boards right now, and I am miserable. Then I think that all he wants is to be in my place some day. This really puts things in perspective. Praying for him.
i swear, this story makes me cry. i can't imagine what is going to happen when he wakes up and has to deal with his injuries and the death of his family. i really hope the ncaa has a heart and let's the university provide whatever support is necessary to enable this young man to get his life back on track.
I can't imagine being there when he starts to regain consciousness today and is told that he has last his father and step-mom. This will probably be one of the worst days of his life. I pray that he's given supernatural strength today, physically and emotionally.
i hope today is his worst day ever. i can't imagine what could make it any worse.
Hopefully in a time like this no one is thinking about basketball, but rather the current and future status of this young man. Praying he makes a full recovery and no matter what his future decisions, I hope Michigan is there with help and full support.
I just hope between his extended family and friends that his support system is strong enough to help him get through this. It's just a heart breaking story.
I know we'll all be following his every inch of progress...Do people think that we (including the boosters among us) can send cards to the hospital for him? I don't think that a card should count as a "benefit," but we are talking about the NCAA.
On this morning's show, Sam Webb said that while it might be OK to send him a card at the hospital, you should be careful not to indicate any connection to Michigan, such as saying "looking forward to seeing you in Ann Arbor" or something like that. Probably shouldn't even say "Go Blue!" If I'm remembering correctly, Ira had gotten this from a conversation with Tom Wywrot at U-M, who had gotten some clarification from the NCAA.
In this era of NCAA violations and improper benefits for recruits, my mind of course wanders to an obvious question that I HATE thinking about, but I'm very curious.
So -- would it be a violation of NCAA rules if Coach B and some or all of the team attended the kid's father's and stepmom's funeral? I mean, Coach B is not permitted to talk about a recruit before he signs. But he can attend the kid's games etc. Can he show public support? Or must it be strictly private?
This is the bizarre, otherworldliness of NCAA rules. They are trying to create a world that doesn't exist, strict amateurism and no-cash-benefits in the midst of massive public attention and billions of dollars of profits. If it were a gymnast, no one would notice or care if the coach and team went, and spoke about him/her. But being a big revenue sport, it happens.
By the way, my two cents ... given the unspeakable tragedies in his life, I, for one, don't even think about him in the context of Michigan or basketball. What happens to him from here is totally unpredictable. He just needs to survive this physically then emotionally, and unless someone has been in his shoes, the rest of us just can't possible in a billion years imagine what it might be like. We will pray to the Lord he makes it through eventually, and whether he goes to college, or our college, or plays hoop, or whatever... he just needs to make it through.
The NCAA and Michigan are already working together on how they can work together for Austin without there being any violations
@JayBilas Thoughts to Michigan recruit Austin Hatch: http://t.co/ffoImbn. Devastating tragedy. I fully expect NCAA to allow UM to reach out to him.
Just so people know, visitors are being limited to family right now, so the coaches couldn't visit him yet anyway. Per tweets from Greg Jones of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:
Austin Hatch update: Hospital in Traverse City, Mich. has requested no visitors except immediate family due to over stimulation.Austin Hatch's doctors feel limiting visitors to family is the best thing for his recovery
Does he even have any immediate family left? I do not say this as a joke to be funny or with any sarcasm at all. Serious question, cuz i don't know. This is so insane. One can't possibly fathom the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual pain this has and will continue to cause Austin.
Godspeed on your recovery Austin!
who were reported to be at his bedside. They can be support for each other, since they are also mourning their mother. His grandmother has also been a visitor. It was also reported that his father owned land up there with his (the father's) brothers, so if he has uncles, he may have cousins and aunts. At least he won't be alone.
I believe that at the very least the coaches will be allowed to attend his parents' funeral. I was reading Fab Five by Mitch Albom earlier this summer and Steve Fisher and at least one assistant attended the funeral of Juwan Howard's grandma, whom he was closest to. I am 99% certain this was also before he signed his LOI, so the same circumstances should apply.
They are taking a CT scan of his brain. If the doctors are satisfied, they will bring him out of the coma for evaluation, then put him back into an induced coma.
That is great news. Get better Austin
I would assume his scholarship is still valid is it not? This is exactly like the Mealer situation where he hadnt set foot on campus yet but RR did promise him a scholarship anyways.
He was offered and accepted a scholarship before the accident so providing he can sign on the dotted line when signing day comes around then he is considered an athlete and then can be put on a medical scholarship or at least in my self rightous please dont f*ck this up NCAA Rules mind this makes sense.
If he can't play basketball, the unversity can give him a non-athletic scholarship. The NCAA has no say over that.
I hope the best for him. I really do hope he can play basketball again, not so so that michigan gets another great player, but I feel that he needs something to take his mind of things. He'll need an extracurricular activity that he can depend on. Granted that doesn't have to be basketball, but something of the sort.
God bless Austin. It's gotta be hard to lose parents like this. Hang in there buddy. Prayers to you.
My father is chief of surgery at Munson and I will see if I can get any updates (unless barred by HIPAA) on Austin's condition in the next few hours. I'll let you know. Pray for the kid.
To have survived two plane crashes and lost your entire family in the process... My God. I can't imagine having to deal with everything this kid has faced at such a young age.
I'm sure the AD and the University will figure something out so that he's taken care of at Michigan irrespective of whether or not he ever plays basketball again. The poor kid no longer has any immediate family, so everyone else in his life needs to chip in and fill those roles. That includes the University. May God grant him strength, patience, support, and a full recovery.
Austin's dog Brady survived the crash, according to a Petoskey News item:
While 16-year-old Austin Hatch was the only human who survived Friday's fatal plane crash in Charlevoix, the Charlevoix Area Humane Society says there was a canine survivor as well.
Austin's dog, a young male labradoodle named Brady, somehow escaped the plane without injury and was picked up by an animal control officer late Saturday afternoon less than a mile from the crash site, said Julie Whitley, animal control supervisor with the Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office.. . .
Whitley said the police were notified and a friend of the Hatch family picked Brady up Sunday.
"It's an absolute miracle," Whitley said of Brady's survival and apparent absence of injuries.
"Our thoughts are, this is (Austin's) dog, this will maybe be one little bright spot in an otherwise horribly horrific situation," she said.
In the earlier crash, the family dog was also aboard but didn't survive.