Paralyzed College Student in CA After Swimming Tragedy
A 19-year-old student from San Diego State University is facing a challenging road to recovery following a swimming accident at Pacific Beach that has left him paralyzed from the chest down. Ethan McCoy, a young man with dreams of becoming a physical therapist and training for an Ironman competition, was swimming with friends near Crystal Pier on Aug. 30 when tragedy struck. Ethan’s father, Jim McCoy, described the incident where Ethan impacted a sandbar and was unable to breathe, leading to surgery for three shattered vertebrae in his neck and partial paralysis of his spinal cord. The McCoy family has been on an emotional rollercoaster, grappling with the drastic changes Ethan is now facing. Despite the uncertainty, Ethan has shown remarkable determination in tackling his rehabilitation, drawing on the same drive he demonstrated in his high school athletic pursuits. While doctors have shared sobering news about Ethan’s mobility prospects, he is determined to defy those odds. Ethan has been moved to a specialized facility in Chicago to continue his recovery, and a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to assist with the family’s rising medical costs.
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