Whalen, Matt

A photo. A month after being injured in a swimming - diving accident in a creek near Joplin Missouri, Miami's Matt Whalen is currently receiving treatment and therapy at TIRR hospital in Houston Texas. He was jumping off a rope swing into 7 feet of water June 25, when he landed in the water head first, crushing the sixth and seventh vertebrae in his neck. His swimming companions, Bryon Machado and Josh Reed of Miami, pulled Matt from the water. After eight hours in surgery, Whalen reportedly woke up with major paralysis of his upper body and extreme paralysis of his lower extremities.

a photograph. Colby Stafford and Buzz Neal recently presented Matt Whalen with a Miami Wardog helmet and practice jersey signed by head coach Shawn Booth and the Wardog football team. Whalen, the son of Rich Whalen and Sally Whalen, was injured in a swimming accident Jun 25th, 2001. He is paralyzed from the chest down.

Wayne Dickerson presented a check for $2,195 to assist with medical expenses. A photo that includes Jimmie Madden, Sally Whalen, Matt Whalen and Wayne Dickerson. Note: This page of the newspaper is misdated as May 14, 2001.