A New Jersey family’s holiday vacation turned into a nightmare after their college gymnast son fell and severely injured his head.
Matthew Polaski was on winter break from his freshman year at the University of Alabama and was spending time with his parents, Michael and Stephanie, and younger brother, Evan, in the Dominican Republic.
On Sunday, the young man suffered a serious fall that left him with multiple skull fractures, a fractured pelvis and lower back vertebrae fractures. The family did not reveal the circumstances of the fall or how it happened.
Polaski, who competes in gymnastics and recently joined the Sigma Pi fraternity at his college, was rushed to a local hospital where doctors performed emergency surgery to reduce the swelling on his brain.
Although the surgery likely saved his life, Polaski remained in critical condition and was placed in a medical coma to keep him stabilized.
He was then transported by international medical flight to a hospital in Miami, where he arrived at 4pm on Tuesday and remains as of Wednesday.
John Clark, a friend of the Polaskis who set up a GoFundMe to help the family cover medical expenses, said on the fundraising page that the young man’s mother was able to be by his side during the flight to Miami.
The fundraiser was also organized with the help of Thomas Egan, who befriended Polaski’s father, Michael, when the senior Polaski served as the police chief in Robbinsville, New Jersey.
On December 28, Michael Polaski suffered a serious fall that left him with multiple skull fractures, a fractured pelvis and lower back vertebrae fractures
Polaski was on winter break from his freshman year at the University of Alabama and was spending time with his parents, Michael and Stephanie, and younger brother, Evan
The family was on vacation in the Dominican Republic (stock image). They did not reveal the circumstances of Polaski’s fall
On the GoFundMe page, Clark and Egan explained that the Polaskis have already been billed nearly $75,000 by the hospital in the Dominican Republic, and they expect to be charged an additional $35,000 to $55,000 for the medical flight alone.
The friends also explained that insurance provides little coverage for international care and that additional medical costs will keep racking up while Polaski is treated in the US.
‘Our goal is to help ease the financial burden so Mike and Steph can focus entirely on Matthew’s recovery,’ Clark and Egan wrote.
As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe has raised more than $180,000.
Clark provided an update on Polaski’s condition on Wednesday, writing that the young man has been treated by ‘a large medical team’ since he arrived at the Miami hospital.
‘They are still early in assessing but there are good signs,’ Clark said, before explaining that doctors were worried the skull fracture had affected Polaski’s carotid artery, which would have meant parts of his brain were deprived of blood.
But imaging revealed no damage, which Clark described as ‘such good news!’
The family friend also said that Polaski’s arms and legs responded to chest stimulation, which is a good early sign.
Polaski competes in gymnastics and recently joined the Sigma Pi fraternity at his college
Polaski’s arms and legs responded to chest stimulation, which is a good early sign, and he has squeezed his mother’s hand in responses
The fundraiser to help the Polaskis pay for their medical bills was set up by friends of father Michael Polaski, who used to be the police chief in Robbinsville, New Jersey
The young man has also started moving on his own, opening his mouth and squeezing his mother’s hand in responses.
‘I can’t imagine how many tears Steph had in that moment,’ Clark wrote.
‘They did have to then further sedate Matthew to reduce his activity,’ the friend added. ‘This will not be a quick journey but I think so many indication’s [sic] that it will be a good path to a great outcome.’
On the GoFundMe, Polaski was described as ‘a hardworking, respectful young man with a deep passion for gymnastics,’ and as having ‘his whole future ahead of him.’
Polaski’s parents were described as ‘unwavering in their support—traveling to countless meets, tournaments, and college visits to help Matthew pursue his dreams.’
They now face ‘unimaginable uncertainty, not knowing what the coming days, weeks, or months will bring in terms of surgeries, recovery, and long-term care,’ Clark and Egan said.
