nivek_wahs
08-25-2007, 07:28 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=3b717956-5f1f-4eb2-973a-1bfac42df146
Robinson shows he's a real Warrior
Murray McCormick, The Leader-Post
Published: Saturday, August 25, 2007
MOOSE JAW -- Garrett Robinson's good spirits could have blown the roof off the Crushed Can.
The smile on Robinson's face was evident from the seats at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre on Friday as he skated for first time as a Moose Jaw Warrior since a two-vehicle accident on Oct. 22. Robinson, who was seriously injured in the crash hours after the Warriors had returned home from an Alberta road trip, took a victory lap around the ice before shooting a few pucks and sharing some laughs with teammates.
"The skating came naturally and that was the easiest part,'' Robinson, 19, said during a 45-minute media conference after skating with the WHL team. "My hands felt awkward. I still need to work on my stickhandling and shooting. I was just happy to be out there.''
It's amazing that Robinson was on hand as the Warriors opened training camp. He was in the passenger seat of a car driven by former teammate Carter Smith, with Warriors goalie Joey Perricone in the back seat. The car was broadsided by a truck at a Moose Jaw intersection.
Robinson's teammates suffered minor injuries. The driver of the truck -- 23-year-old Curtis Mullen -- wasn't injured. He was found guilty of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and sentenced to nine months in jail.
Robinson was in a coma for several weeks after the crash and was initially given 48 hours to live. He started communicating verbally in November and walking on his own just before Christmas. On Friday, his recovery reached the remarkable stage as he skated with his teammates.
"Every hospital that we've been in and every member of the staff have been truly amazed,'' said Carol Robinson, Garrett's mother. "It is a miracle that he has come as far as he has in such a short time. He has worked so hard but he's determined to get back to the way he was.''
The Robinsons were informed by doctors that Garrett suffered permanent damage to front and middle lobes and the brainstem. They were also told that the damage to the brainstem will never heal.
It's unlikely that Robinson will play contact hockey again. He will remain with the Warriors for the remainder of the year.
"I just want to be around the team as much as I can,'' said Robinson, who has been skating twice a week with his brother -- former Regina Pats forward Matt Robinson -- before taking to the ice Friday. "If I can't play with the team, at least I can show them what hard work can do. I want to be with the Warriors, help them out and be the Warrior that I am.''
It's that kind of attitude that Chad Lang, the Warriors general manager, hopes rubs off Robinson and on his teammates.
"My expectations were to always have him back here,'' Lang said. "He's a member of this hockey club and he's a true testament of what the Warriors are about. He has battled the odds but he has never given up the fight. There are people who might have written him off but he didn't give up.''
Robinson, a native of Surrey, B.C., has been with the Warriors since he was 15. Randy, Garrett's father, said the emotions he felt this week when he dropped his son off at the billet were similar to those during his son's rookie season with the Warriors.
"It was very emotional to leave my baby,'' said Randy Robinson, who with his wife has been with Garrett nearly non-stop since the accident. "When I dropped him off at the billets, I wondered if we doing the right thing.''
Robinson's reaction to the crash concerns his parents. Robinson still suffers memory lapses, his fine motor skills are still lacking and he slurs his words. Some of those concerns have been alleviated by leaving Garrett with the same billet (Shauna Duzan) and the commitment of the Warriors' organization.
The Robinsons are scheduled to return home Sunday. Garrett will remain in Moose Jaw with his team.
"We have no fear of leaving him here because we know that they will look after him very well,'' Randy Robinson said. "We've set up meetings with occupational therapy and the speech people. They are coming from Regina to meet us. Everything has fallen into place and he's so happy to be here. That makes us happy, too.''
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
Robinson shows he's a real Warrior
Murray McCormick, The Leader-Post
Published: Saturday, August 25, 2007
MOOSE JAW -- Garrett Robinson's good spirits could have blown the roof off the Crushed Can.
The smile on Robinson's face was evident from the seats at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre on Friday as he skated for first time as a Moose Jaw Warrior since a two-vehicle accident on Oct. 22. Robinson, who was seriously injured in the crash hours after the Warriors had returned home from an Alberta road trip, took a victory lap around the ice before shooting a few pucks and sharing some laughs with teammates.
"The skating came naturally and that was the easiest part,'' Robinson, 19, said during a 45-minute media conference after skating with the WHL team. "My hands felt awkward. I still need to work on my stickhandling and shooting. I was just happy to be out there.''
It's amazing that Robinson was on hand as the Warriors opened training camp. He was in the passenger seat of a car driven by former teammate Carter Smith, with Warriors goalie Joey Perricone in the back seat. The car was broadsided by a truck at a Moose Jaw intersection.
Robinson's teammates suffered minor injuries. The driver of the truck -- 23-year-old Curtis Mullen -- wasn't injured. He was found guilty of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and sentenced to nine months in jail.
Robinson was in a coma for several weeks after the crash and was initially given 48 hours to live. He started communicating verbally in November and walking on his own just before Christmas. On Friday, his recovery reached the remarkable stage as he skated with his teammates.
"Every hospital that we've been in and every member of the staff have been truly amazed,'' said Carol Robinson, Garrett's mother. "It is a miracle that he has come as far as he has in such a short time. He has worked so hard but he's determined to get back to the way he was.''
The Robinsons were informed by doctors that Garrett suffered permanent damage to front and middle lobes and the brainstem. They were also told that the damage to the brainstem will never heal.
It's unlikely that Robinson will play contact hockey again. He will remain with the Warriors for the remainder of the year.
"I just want to be around the team as much as I can,'' said Robinson, who has been skating twice a week with his brother -- former Regina Pats forward Matt Robinson -- before taking to the ice Friday. "If I can't play with the team, at least I can show them what hard work can do. I want to be with the Warriors, help them out and be the Warrior that I am.''
It's that kind of attitude that Chad Lang, the Warriors general manager, hopes rubs off Robinson and on his teammates.
"My expectations were to always have him back here,'' Lang said. "He's a member of this hockey club and he's a true testament of what the Warriors are about. He has battled the odds but he has never given up the fight. There are people who might have written him off but he didn't give up.''
Robinson, a native of Surrey, B.C., has been with the Warriors since he was 15. Randy, Garrett's father, said the emotions he felt this week when he dropped his son off at the billet were similar to those during his son's rookie season with the Warriors.
"It was very emotional to leave my baby,'' said Randy Robinson, who with his wife has been with Garrett nearly non-stop since the accident. "When I dropped him off at the billets, I wondered if we doing the right thing.''
Robinson's reaction to the crash concerns his parents. Robinson still suffers memory lapses, his fine motor skills are still lacking and he slurs his words. Some of those concerns have been alleviated by leaving Garrett with the same billet (Shauna Duzan) and the commitment of the Warriors' organization.
The Robinsons are scheduled to return home Sunday. Garrett will remain in Moose Jaw with his team.
"We have no fear of leaving him here because we know that they will look after him very well,'' Randy Robinson said. "We've set up meetings with occupational therapy and the speech people. They are coming from Regina to meet us. Everything has fallen into place and he's so happy to be here. That makes us happy, too.''
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007