Luther player seriously hurt after collision in game

Luther College freshman football player Chris Norton suffered a fractured neck and compressed spinal cord in a collision during Saturday's game against Central.

The former Bondurant-Farrar prep was injured on a kickoff as he attempted to make a tackle. He was transported to Decorah Medical Center from the field, then airlifted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he underwent a three-hour surgery.

A post from his family on the Web site www.caringbridge.org said Monday afternoon that Norton has been able to move both arms slightly and has increased sensitivity throughout his body. The family was initially told by doctors there was a three-percent chance Chris would ever regain function from the neck down.

“Sunday morning he could wiggle his left arm.  He is already in the three percent,” Norton's father, Terry, wrote. “This morning, he could identify what toe we were squeezing … He asked us to share the following: “Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers, they mean a lot.  I am going to recover from this. I know I'll be able to walk. I don't have any doubt in my mind.”

Luther Coach Mike Durnin was asked Monday how he and his team was coping with the injury. Durnin spent Saturday evening/Sunday morning with the Norton's at Mayo while Chris was in surgery.

“I'm not the important person. The important people here are Chris and his family,” Durnin said. “Things are going well. We're keeping a great positive attitidue, looking at the victories each and every day and going forward.”

Durnin said he has spoken to people at Rutgers University, where player Eric LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down after making a tackle in a game Saturday against Army. He spoke with his team about Norton's injury after Saturday's game and had a 30-minute meeting planned with them Monday afternoon before practice.

“Until something like this actually happens, you don't really understand what your feelings are. It's very difficult to put into words,” he said. “For us to keep going, everyone needs to be together, just like a family. You want to be with your family in a situation like this.

“I'm sure there are going to be plenty of tears, questions and hugs.”

Well-wishers can keep updated on Norton's condition at this URL:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/chrisnorton/journal