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Massachusetts HS hockey player speaks publicly for first time since serious spinal cord injury

Massachusetts HS hockey player speaks publicly for first time since serious spinal cord injury
A HOCKEY GAME. AND TONIGHT, HIS SCHOOL TOOK ON NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH. NEWSCENTER 5’S TED WAYMAN IS LIVE IN ATTLEBORO WHERE THE GAME WAS HELD. REPORTER: AN EMOTIONAL GAME ON AND OFF THE ICE >> I WOULD LIKE THANK MY BOYS FROM THE TEAM. I MISS THEM LIKE CRAZY. I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GET BACK ON THE ICE FOR YOU GUYS. REPORTER: IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE HEARD FROM AJAY SINCE THE INJURY TO HIS SPINAL CORD. >> YOU HAVE ALL GIVEN ME A REASON TO KEEP PUSHING AND KEEP FIGHTING. IT IS AWESOME. REPORTER INSIDE THE HOME RANK, THE SHAMROCKS WERE TAKING ON RIVAL NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH IN THE LAST AIM OF THE SEASON. PARIS TALKED ABOUT THE VIDEO TO HIS TEAMMATES. >> THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO THEM WAS TO HEAR FROM THEIR FRIEND AJA >> IT SEEMS LIKE THE SAME OLD AJAY. IT’S GOOD TO SEE THAT HE’S COMING ALONG AND IS IN GOOD SPIRITS. >> HE ALWAYS PUT 110% INTO THESE GAMES. >> AJAY IS DOING WELL AND FIGHTING HARD. THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN US IS MOTIVATING HIM TO FIGHT HARDER EVERY DAY. JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE RECEIVING YOUR PRAYERS AND YOUR SUPPORT AND WE LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. REPORTER AJAY’S TEAM WON THEIR FINAL GAME TONIGHT TO-ONE AND WE ARE TOLD AJAY FOLLOW THE GAME THROUGH THE EVEN
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Massachusetts HS hockey player speaks publicly for first time since serious spinal cord injury
A Massachusetts high school hockey player shared a public message for the first time since he was severely injured on the ice last month.A.J. Quetta, a senior at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, recorded a video message that was shared on the Twitter account of Joe McDonald, a sports writer for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.Quetta crashed headfirst into the boards in a Jan. 26 game against Pope Francis in West Springfield and suffered a serious spinal cord injury.The Providence native was taken off the ice on a stretcher and rushed to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. He was transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on Jan. 29 and was recently transferred to the Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta on Tuesday.According to his family, Quetta is expected to spend at least three months at Shepherd.“I would just like to thank you for your support," Quetta said in the video. "What’s been going on lately is crazy. I don’t have words to describe how awesome you people are and how supportive you’ve been for me. You all give me a reason to keep pushing and keep fighting. It’s awesome."“The support means so much to A.J. and my family," said Quetta's father, Anthony Quetta Sr. "All the text messages, all the Facebook posts, it keeps us moving forward. It keeps our head in the game. I just wanted to thank you all for all that you’ve done. It’s been awe-inspiring.”The Bishop Feehan Shamrocks played their season finale Saturday night against one of their rivals, the North Attleborough Red Rocketeers, at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro.All of the proceeds from the game will go towards Quetta's recovery.In the video message, Quetta wished his teammates luck in Saturday's game against North Attleborough.“I’d like to thank the boys from the team, especially. I miss them like crazy. I would do anything to get back on the ice with you guys," he said."It's actually good to see that he's coming along and that he's in good spirits," Bishop Feehan hockey coach Kevin Dunn said of Quetta's video message."What would A.J. do in this situation? He'd say: 'Go play,'" Dunn added.All of the Bishop Feehan players wore special jerseys that featured Quetta's name on the back for the game against North Attleborough. The Shamrocks came away with a 2-1 victory."We had to win this for A.J., because he always put 110% into all these games," said Jacob Noel, one of Quetta's teammates.On Tuesday, Quetta's teammates at Bishop Feehan gathered outside Mass General in uniform with their hockey sticks to form an honor guard for Quetta and his family.The Quetta family's departure was delayed, but the team waited for hours for the Providence native to be moved to an ambulance that took him to a medical helicopter at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford. He was then flown to the Shepherd Rehabilitation Center.The rehab center in Atlanta is the same one that treated Matt Brown, a Massachusetts native who suffered a spinal cord injury while playing high school hockey 11 years ago. Brown, who played for and graduated from Norwood High School, has launched a foundation to support spinal cord injury patients and their families.Brown's family has been in contact with the Quettas.Since Quetta's injury, a network of thousands of supporters — from the Boston Bruins to total strangers — have already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Providence resident and his family.On Wednesday, the Bruins tweeted a photo of fan favorites Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak wearing "A.J.'s Army" T-shirts in honor of Quetta. On Monday, the team announced that the Boston Bruins Foundation's 50/50 raffle for Quetta had reached $300,000 — the largest jackpot ever.“A.J. is doing well. He’s fighting hard. The support that you’ve given us is motivating him to fight harder every day," said Anthony Quetta Sr. "Just know that we are receiving your prayers and your support, and we love you all very much. Thank you.”Those who wish to help Quetta and his family can view his GoFundMe page, the Matt Brown Foundation website and the "A.J.'s Army" website.

A Massachusetts high school hockey player shared a public message for the first time since he was severely injured on the ice last month.

A.J. Quetta, a senior at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, recorded a video message that was shared on the Twitter account of Joe McDonald, a sports writer for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

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Quetta crashed headfirst into the boards in a Jan. 26 game against Pope Francis in West Springfield and suffered a serious spinal cord injury.

The Providence native was taken off the ice on a stretcher and rushed to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. He was transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on Jan. 29 and was recently transferred to the Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta on Tuesday.

According to his family, Quetta is expected to spend at least three months at Shepherd.

“I would just like to thank you for your support," Quetta said in the video. "What’s been going on lately is crazy. I don’t have words to describe how awesome you people are and how supportive you’ve been for me. You all give me a reason to keep pushing and keep fighting. It’s awesome."

“The support means so much to A.J. and my family," said Quetta's father, Anthony Quetta Sr. "All the text messages, all the Facebook posts, it keeps us moving forward. It keeps our head in the game. I just wanted to thank you all for all that you’ve done. It’s been awe-inspiring.”

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The Bishop Feehan Shamrocks played their season finale Saturday night against one of their rivals, the North Attleborough Red Rocketeers, at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro.

All of the proceeds from the game will go towards Quetta's recovery.

In the video message, Quetta wished his teammates luck in Saturday's game against North Attleborough.

“I’d like to thank the boys from the team, especially. I miss them like crazy. I would do anything to get back on the ice with you guys," he said.

"It's actually good to see that he's coming along and that he's in good spirits," Bishop Feehan hockey coach Kevin Dunn said of Quetta's video message.

"What would A.J. do in this situation? He'd say: 'Go play,'" Dunn added.

All of the Bishop Feehan players wore special jerseys that featured Quetta's name on the back for the game against North Attleborough. The Shamrocks came away with a 2-1 victory.

"We had to win this for A.J., because he always put 110% into all these games," said Jacob Noel, one of Quetta's teammates.

On Tuesday, Quetta's teammates at Bishop Feehan gathered outside Mass General in uniform with their hockey sticks to form an honor guard for Quetta and his family.

The Quetta family's departure was delayed, but the team waited for hours for the Providence native to be moved to an ambulance that took him to a medical helicopter at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford. He was then flown to the Shepherd Rehabilitation Center.

The rehab center in Atlanta is the same one that treated Matt Brown, a Massachusetts native who suffered a spinal cord injury while playing high school hockey 11 years ago. Brown, who played for and graduated from Norwood High School, has launched a foundation to support spinal cord injury patients and their families.

Brown's family has been in contact with the Quettas.

Since Quetta's injury, a network of thousands of supporters — from the Boston Bruins to total strangers — have already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Providence resident and his family.

On Wednesday, the Bruins tweeted a photo of fan favorites Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak wearing "A.J.'s Army" T-shirts in honor of Quetta. On Monday, the team announced that the Boston Bruins Foundation's 50/50 raffle for Quetta had reached $300,000 — the largest jackpot ever.

“A.J. is doing well. He’s fighting hard. The support that you’ve given us is motivating him to fight harder every day," said Anthony Quetta Sr. "Just know that we are receiving your prayers and your support, and we love you all very much. Thank you.”

Those who wish to help Quetta and his family can view his GoFundMe page, the Matt Brown Foundation website and the "A.J.'s Army" website.