Bruce Henderson, a 17-year-old football player at Sultana High (Hesperia, Calif.), needed emergency surgery after suffering a head injury during Friday night’s game.
Henderson is “responding to stimulus on his hands and feet,” according to an update on Sultana football team’s Twitter feed on Saturday evening.
Henderson suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth quarter against Norte Vista High, according to Victor Valley News. Other accounts indicate it is possible the injury could have stemmed from Henderson hitting his head on the ground. The video is inconclusive.
According to the report, Henderson made it to the huddle and then went to the bench. He stood up, told the coaches he wasn’t feeling well and passed out. The report said Henderson was having seizures and did not regain consciousness as he was tended to by athletic trainers and paramedics.
After the surgery, his mother, Katrina, posted on Facebook: “Still have a very long road to recovery. They said [Bruce] could be in here for 3 months. Depends on how long it takes for swelling to go down.”
Support has come in from other football programs and schoolmates on social media. A prayer service is scheduled for Sunday. A number of players visited Henderson in the hospital on Saturday.