'Not going to believe the stats': Sask. teen defying the odds as he recovers from severe spinal cord injury

A Saskatchewan teenager is defying the odds while recovering in hospital after suffering a severe spinal cord injury.

On Dec. 30, 16-year-old Sandy Cooper-Black was bucked off a horse while competing in a rodeo in Brooks, Alta.

“When he landed, he broke his neck. No head injuries, no concussion, but he broke his neck,” Sandy’s mom, Glenice Cooper-Black, said.

He was rushed to Brooks Hospital and was then transferred to Foothill Medical Centre in Calgary where he underwent emergency surgery.

“We were told the surgery wouldn’t fix his injuries, however it would stop the swelling,” Glenice said.

In that respect, the surgery was successful.

“When he came out of surgery, he was on a breathing tube and he wasn’t able to talk. We had to use an alphabet board and he had to spell out his sentences,” Glenice said.

When Sandy arrived in the Intensive Care Unit after surgery, Glenice said a doctor told him the odds of having feeling in his legs or arms again were not good.

“It was very hard news for Sandy,” she said.

However, Sandy told the doctor about a visit from former Humboldt Broncos player Ryan Straschnitzki to his school. Glenice said Sandy drew inspiration from Ryan, who suffered a similar injury as a result of the Broncos bus crash.

“[Ryan] said all he could think about was wanting to play Paralympic sledge hockey and Sandy said ‘he’s making his goal come true,’” Glenice explained.

“So he said to the doctor ‘if Ryan can do it, so can I.’ That doctor looked down at him and said ‘that is the attitude you’re going to need.’”

After three days of not being able to breathe on his own, Glenice said two of the doctors on Sandy’s case suggested a tracheotomy. She said they explained taking the breathing tube out would be too dangerous.

“That deflated all hopes. But this one special doctor stopped everyone and said ‘you’re right. He has a 95 per cent chance that he does need that. But what if he is that five per cent?’” Glenice said.

“They took out the tubes and had him breathe on his own. It was definitely a scary 24 hours, but he is in that five per cent. He did it. He made his first baby step on his ladder to recovery.”

Originally, Glenice said they were told Sandy might be in ICU for three weeks or more.

“They moved him out of ICU after six days,” she said.

Now, Sandy is the spinal care ward at Foothills Medical Centre.

OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT

Support in all forms has been pouring in for Sandy and his family, who live on a ranch between Maple Creek and Consul, SK.

Sandy Cooper-Black suffered a severe spinal cord injury at a rodeo in December. (Source: Facebook)

In a brief phone interview from the hospital, Sandy said both small communities have really stepped up to support him.

“I don’t really know what to say about it,” Sandy said, adding the level of support is leaving him and his whole family speechless.

A GoFundMe page has raised more than $60,000, several community groups are holding fundraisers and Saskatchewan musician Colter Wall has agreed to give all proceeds from music sales toward Sandy’s recovery.

Wall is a close family friend of the Cooper-Blacks.

In a video posted on Facebook, Wall described Sandy as an “old soul” with a huge personality and a great sense of humour. He said Sandy is everybody’s best buddy.

“He’s fighting and he’s got a good start on this, but he’s looking at a long road to recovery. It’s going to be a long haul for him and his friends and family,” Wall said in the video.

“I want to raise some money for this kid who’s a brother to me. He’s like my little brother. So starting [Monday] all proceeds from all digital and physical sales of my album Western Swing & Waltzes are going to go towards Sandy.”

By Monday evening, Wall’s album was number one on the iTunes charts.

In another form of support, Ryan Straschnitzki paid Sandy a visit in hospital on Monday.

“He talked to Sandy for over an hour,” Glenice said. “He gave him a lot of hope, and he gave Sandy one of the first things he received [after his accident], which was a sledge hockey stick from one of the Olympic Canadian players.”

Sandy Cooper-Black received a hospital visit from Ryan Straschnitzki on Monday. (Submitted: Glenice Cooper-Black)

Straschnitzki said when he was first recovering in hospital, he drew inspiration from those around him. He wanted to share that with Sandy.

“I know in times like that, I had a lot of questions and I didn’t know what was next. So I just gave him a few basic answers to some of his questions,” Straschnitzki told CTV News.

“Some of the biggest things that helped me hurdle over problems was just to stay hopeful and always push towards getting better everyday. I told him it’s going to be a long journey but he’s a strong spirited kid and I know he’ll get through it.”

Rodeo is a key part in Sandy’s family - his dad competed, and so does his step dad, Dan Black.

Black, said the entire rodeo community is one large family that has showed overwhelming support for Sandy.

“It goes hand-in-hand with our western Canadian heritage and lifestyle. Even after Sandy’s accident, I still feel that we’re lucky and blessed to live the way that we do,” Black said.

“When you’re dealing with events like we do, there’s always an inherent risk of an injury and you just never know how severe they’re going to be. Sandy ran into a bad one and [the rodeo family] is going to try to deal with it going forward.”

The Cooper-Black family is staying at the Ronald MacDonald house in Calgary while Sandy is in hospital. As fundraising efforts continue, Glenice said the money will go towards Sandy’s rehabilitation, home renovations and technological medical devices to help him return to life on the ranch.

“We’re shooting for the top of the ladder. We’re not going to believe the statistics,” Glenice said.

“We’re lost for words with the love and support.”

This is not the first time the family has received support like this after a tragedy.

Twelve years ago, Sandy’s dad, uncle and family friends were killed in a plane crash.

“The love and support of our family, community members, people we didn’t know, the rodeo family and all the small towns is what got us through that tragedy,” Glenice said.

“We never thought something like this would happen again.”

Glenice and Sandy agreed the support reminds them that there are more good and loving people in the world than bad people.

CONTINUED RECOVERY

Despite what statistics may indicate for his injury, Sandy said he’s determined to regain use of his arms.

“I want to be able to use my arms so I can function a wheelchair, like Ryan Straschnitzki. He can live on his own and he can play sports and stuff, so if I can get my arms back, that’d be pretty cool,” Sandy said.

As Sandy continues on his recovery journey, his mom said he wanted to share his story in hopes of inspiring other kids who may go through a similar injury in the future.

“He said ‘I just want to pass the stick down that Ryan gave me to somebody else, to give them hope,’” Glenice said.

“He’s so positive. He’s just ready to work hard.”