National

Atlanta native seriously injured during football game reaches new milestone

Christion Abercrombie is a linebacker for the TSU Tigers and a graduate of Westlake High School. (Photo: Tennessee State University)

ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta native critically injured during a college football game has reached another milestone in his recovery.

Christion Abercrombie, 20, suffered a head injury on a routine play in a game against Vanderbilt in September. He then collapsed on the sideline.

The Westlake High graduate was then rushed into emergency surgery at a nearby hospital.

Christion is recovering at the Shepherd Center in Buckhead, where his mother saying he is making great strides each day.

"The medical team here, they're very impressed with his progress. They didn't estimate that he would move so quickly, but I say, you know, that it's all God. It's his plan and his timing. We're patient and we're very grateful that he's moving very quickly," Staci Abercrombie said in an interview with Nashville Sports Radio last week.

It has been a long road to recovery for the Tennessee State linebacker, but he has been making great strides each day, from breathing on his own to his latest accomplishment of feeding himself solid meals.

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“Last Tuesday, he got his first meal by mouth, and it was solid. And he enjoyed it. I want to say he almost inhaled it,” Staci said during the radio interview.

She said the next day, he began eating on his own.

“He’s excited about the food,” his mother said. “He hasn’t eaten a solid meal by mouth since Sept. 29, the night before the injury.”

Staci said despite the challenges that are ahead for her son, he’s taking everything in stride. She said through everything; her son has kept his sense of humor.

“He’s works very hard in therapy each day. One day last week, he worked really hard and at the end of his walk he was sweating, and he said it was like football practice,” Staci said.

She said they are so grateful for the outpouring of support from Atlanta and Tennessee State communities and asked for continued prayers for her son’s recovery.

"We know it's a process, and Christian is going through it gracefully," Staci said. "Christion is doing better. Each day we see something different. He's talking more. He's not initiating too many conversations, but he will engage in short conversations if you prompt him to. We are just trying to stay strong for Christion and have faith so that we can care for him the best that we know how."

If you would like to help the family out, a GoFundMe page was set up to assist Abercrombie in his recovery.