Luke Short plays most of game for Garrard County with broken neck

Luke Short (1) with his Garrard County teammates on the sideline Friday. He played most of the game with a broken neck and even had five tackles. (Brandon McGlone/Central Record).

She saw her son, Luke, make a block on the opening kickoff against Danville Friday night and thought something didn’t look exactly right but then he  played the rest of the game at fullback/linebacker for Garrard County. When he got home, Luke told his mother, Kristi Short, he was sore and his neck was wrapped with ice.

“I asked him if we needed to go to the ER (emergency room) and he said no. I gave him Ibuprofen and he went to sleep,” she said.

He woke up sore Saturday but went to film and team workouts without complaining. But when he still did not seem right to her Sunday, she took him to the emergency room in Jessamine County.

“I still just figured he had a pulled muscle,” Kristi Short said. “Then the doctor came in and said he was sorry to tell me my son had a broken neck. I lost it at that point.”

Who wouldn’t? That has to be one of the worst fears any parent, grandparent, coach or fan could have.

The Garrard senior had a fracture of his seventh cervical vertebra. That is the largest and most inferior vertebra and has a large sinuous process that protrudes posteriorly toward the skin at the back of the neck. The doctor told her there were fragments loose.

They were transferred to the University of Kentucky Medical Center where she remembers seeing four to six doctors. One thought surgery was needed. Another one said no. Due to the shortage of hospital beds due to COVID, they were sent home and now are scheduled to see a specialist Wednesday.

“I really feel like it was a miracle that he was not hurt a lot more seriously. The doctors told us that someone else or someone with a different body type could have been paralyzed or needed an immediate spinal fusion,” Kristi Short said. “He always prays before games and I did, too. He knew he was hurt Friday but he just played through it.”

Garrard County schools start Wednesday. Luke Short is not allowed to go to school or even drive. Sports obviously are out.

“We are kind of waiting on the specialist to give us more information on what is going to happen related to school and sports,” Kristi Short said. “We are lucky he did not hurt himself worse. The doctors said if the piece of spine that broke off does not move around he may not need surgery. They showed me where the piece of bone broke off. I was just in shock and still am thinking about my son having a broken neck.”

Luke Short, 17, was so excited for his senior season. Garrard only got to play four games last season because of COVID.

“He gave it all he had,” his mother said. “Nobody can play with a broken neck, but he did for most of the game. It’s a miracle he did what he did.

“Luke is such a great young man of faith. He’s very involved at our church, Lincoln First Assembly. He prays and goes to church every time the doors are open,” Kristi Short said. “I truly believe God was watching out for him. He told one of his friends that ‘God has my back’ and I believe that.”

She says her son is not discouraged or despondent because of the injury and not knowing what lies ahead.

“He is already excited to be back on the sideline even if he’s not playing. That’s just the kind of kid he is,” Kristi Short said.