Video: Patriot Player Continues To Recover From Neck Injury

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s a football coaches nightmare. Seeing a player on the field not moving. It happened to a Winston Academy player Friday night.

Head Coach Andy Greening shares the frightening moments on the field.

“I thought the worst, I’ll be honest with you. He never moved any part of his body. No movement whatsoever,” said Head Coach Andy Greening.

It was the third quarter of the game. Winston Academy playing at home against Canton. Number 65, Zachary McDill, was hit on a play resulting in a severe injury to his neck.

“The boys leg hit him on the chin and popped his neck back. It wasn’t so much the lick, but the sudden popping back of his neck that cost it,” said Coach Greening.

McDill was was flown to a Jackson Hospital where doctors say he had swelling around his spinal
cord.

“He didn’t have any feeling in his lower body when they took him off in the stretcher,” said Coach Greening.

Over the weekend McDill started to get better. He gained some feeling back and was sitting up in the hospital. He was released on Monday and stopped by to see his team.

“Oh we were jubilant. You know everybody was crazy.We were actually watching film when he got here and they sent word, and we just stopped,” said Coach Greening.

Greening says McDill still doesn’t have feeling in his left leg.

“We’re still concerned. He’s still in a wheelchair but he’s at least able to move around a little bit,” said Coach Greening.

As McDill continues to recover, Greening says the support from home and the other team have shown nothing less than true sportsmanship in the game so many love.

“It makes you feel good to see your opponent and complete strangers all pull together for one common cause,” said Coach Greening.

Players from Canton stopped by to visit McDill in the hospital. Coach Greening says McDill and his family plan on being at this weeks game.