Mason Martin

Ongoing rehabilitation for injured Karns City Area Jr./Sr. High School quarterback Mason Martin is going “very well,” according to a recent update from his father, Denny Martin.

And on Thursday, Mason was transferred to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to continue his recovery.

Denny’s update, posted on his Facebook page Thursday, Jan. 4, highlighted the progress Mason has been making over the last week and a half at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.

“Just about every day he has done something new,” Denny wrote. “He has been able to eat ice cream and sherbet. He has on occasions been able to nod his head yes or no. He has been turning his head, scanning and taking in his surroundings.”

While Mason has also made attempts to vocalize when prompted, his father wrote that his “vocal cords just don’t seem to be ready yet.”

“He has grasped items and held on to them,” Denny wrote. “Letting go is a different story, but that’s a problem for another day.”

Mason’s tracheostomy tube was also removed on New Year’s Day, according to the post, which has increased his comfort and decreased his coughing.

“For me personally, Tuesday was a very emotional day,” Denny wrote. “The therapist had him supported in a harness and they were walking him on the treadmill.”

With a therapist on either side of Mason, according to the post, one remarked, “I feel like he’s doing it on his own.”

“They removed the treadmill and they had him standing on the ground,” Denny wrote. “They would move his left foot forward and he would slowly slide his right foot and move his leg forward.

“He took several steps in this manner.”

While Mason was unable to replicate this the following day, Denny wrote that the exercise gave “another glimpse of what he’s capable of doing.”

“Other than the day I was able to look into his eyes and actually see him looking back at me, this was my favorite day since his injury,” he wrote.

Mason has been recovering from injuries he suffered at a football game Sept. 1. He collapsed during the third quarter of Karns City’s game against Redbank Valley.

The Karns City senior was diagnosed with a brain bleed and collapsed lung after being airlifted to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital.

Following a cranial flap surgery, Mason was moved to Mercy Hospital in November. A case of meningitis sent him back to Presbyterian Hospital and, following a successful shunt replacement surgery, he returned to Mercy Hospital on Dec. 7 to begin rehabilitation.

“As I type this,” Denny wrote Thursday, “we are sitting here waiting for transport to take us to Children’s Hospital to continue with his rehabilitation.”

“The rehab team here at Mercy have lived up to their reputation.”

Denny said the last week of rehabilitation has been “fun and exciting” and praised Mason’s physical therapist, Nanami Mano. He wrote that Mano was “a big reason” he looked forward to their return to Mercy Hospital.

“She is absolutely fearless, aggressive, persistent, and patient,” Denny wrote. “She challenged and pushed Mason to his limits and I’m certain he wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

As the pair heads to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to continue Mason’s road to recovery, Denny thanked the community for their ongoing support.

“So please continue to pray and fight with us as we begin yet another chapter of his comeback,” he wrote.