Matt is a junior at Cuero High School in Cuero, TX. He won the Young Men's pole vault at last summer's AAU Junior Olympic Games and the Intermediate Boy's pole vault at the 2003 USATF Junior Olympics. He has a PR of 15'6".
Here is an update on his progress from his coach Glen Dickson:
Matt was supposed to be released to go home either Sunday the 17th or Monday the 18th of this week.
I saw him Saturday and his outlook on life and his future was a lot better than on Thursday. He will have some uphill battles
to overcome and will continue to need the support and prayers from family and friends.
The doctors were able to save his little finger and ring finger on his right hand. He has 5 or 6 pins in his right
hand because of broken bones.
On his left hand the doctors were able to repair his index finger and thumb but also had to add pins because of
broken bones to his left hand.
Matt thinks he will be home schooled until after the first of the new year so everything can heal properly and
give him time so he can learn to write left handed and have the use of his fingers for using a computer.
His leg is healing so there should be no long term effects with regards to his leg.
I didn't mean to be so graphic with these details but I felt if everybody knew the full scope of the damage to his right
and left hands then maybe in the future; if you run across a person or article of a person that has overcome a
accident like this, than maybe you can pass that info on to Matt, to show him how others have overcome setbacks like this
in their lives.
Matt is still interested in trying to continue to pole vault, but will wait until after he heals to see what his options are.
Matt is a strong person and with the support of family and friends he will only get stronger.
His address for get well cards or support from a note full of encouraging words.
Matthew Stall
408 N Terry
Cuero, TX 77954
If you want to pass this info on to others, maybe in the future someone will come up with an ideal on how someone with this handicap could still vault right handed. Time will tell.
Matthew Stall is a Jr. in high school and has a PR of 15'6". Matt was USATF National Champion in intermediate boys in 2003
and AAU National Champion in Men Pole vault in 2004 .
My regards,
Glen Dickson
gddickson@earthlink.net
