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INSIDE KALAMAZOO Community support boosts Parchment athlete as • Other Cities, Radar, More ... he regains movement after injury • Change by Scott DeCamp | Kalamazoo Gazette • Gazette Home Friday September 12, 2008, 12:45 PM BUSINESS FINDER • Kalamazoo -Area News • Find Local Businesses KALAMAZOO TOWNSHIP -- Browse by day: Today, Austin Cole will slip on Select a date his maroon Parchment High KALAMAZOO-AREA SHOPPING School jersey like he has on so Find great deals from these Kalamazoo Gazette

many football Fridays in the advertisers online: past. Browse by week: Only this time, No. 5 will not be Select a date on the field when the Panthers' football team hosts Schoolcraft SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS

at 7 tonight. Cole, a senior, will • Kalamazoo Gazette not be at his usual receiver and Mark Bugnaski | Kalamazoo Gazette • 2008 Michigan Campground Directory Front Pages outside linebacker positions. He Parchment High School senior Austin Cole, 17, • Your Home Magazine • Wedding Guide • Kalamazoo Gazette will not be wearing a helmet or receives a tender touch from his mother Tammy Jozo at their North Westnedge Ave. • Holiday Cookbook Obituaries shoulder pads. home. Cole suffered a spinal cord injury in a • Michigan Festivals & Events 2008 • Kalamazoo Gazette Instead, he'll have a brace football game last week against Kalamazoo • LakeLife Celebrations around his neck and likely face Christian and is at home recovering. • Be Healthy Magazine • Celebrations Submission swirling emotions, which have • End of Summer Michigan Family Fun • Women In Business • Kalamazoo Police Beat run the gamut since he suffered a spinal-cord injury in last Friday's game • Allegan County Visitors Guide • Latest Gazette Contest against Kalamazoo Christian. • Kalamazoo Celebrations • Send us your news tips, Cole, 17, could move only his index fingers initially. His family feared he See all Kalamazoo Gazette Special Sections photos and video may be paralyzed from the chest down.

• Kalamazoo Jobs "The doctors were like, 'Be prepared, because this might be the best he GAZETTE BLOGS • Kalamazoo Real Estate ever gets,'" said James Cole, Austin's father. But in the early hours of Saturday morning, Austin gradually regained feeling in his hands and feet. Gazette Extra • Kalamazoo Autos by Gazette staff • Kalamazoo Classifieds Later, he was able to move the rest of his body. He's expected to make a • No ordinary full recovery, though his football career is over. Saturday: Urban adventure race CONTACT US "I'm nervous a little bit," Austin said Thursday as he and his mother, delivers unique challenges Contact the Newspaper Tammy Jozo, sat on the steps outside their Kalamazoo Township home. "I'm excited to watch my brother play. I was hoping it was going to be with • New menu • Staff Contacts me, but ..." revives bistro • E-mail the Editor Sprout • Newspapers in Education A hard hit by a Kalamazoo Christian player last week left Cole motionless on the grass at Soisson-Rapacz-Clason Field. Cole was taken off the field MORE Buy: on a stretcher, transported to Borgess Medical Center and admitted to the intensive-care unit. Community Extra • Subscribe to the Gazette by Gazette staff • Paid Archives Jozo said her son remained in the intensive-care unit for a day-and-a-half • Van Buren County • Page/Photo Reprints before he regained all movement and was transferred to another room. sells property to • Gazette Store VBISD for new Jozo said ligaments on both sides of her son's spine were sprained and swollen. Doctors put Cole on steroids, which decreased the swelling and Place an ad: school allowed him to move parts of his body. • Classifieds • DARREN • Newspaper Rate Card Cole was released from Borgess on Tuesday and has been resting at home. MARACIN: He is still experiencing some dizziness and requires assistance, but he is Marriage can be a match made in Sponsorship: expected to return to school Monday. heaven (part 3) • Form "Everyone's going to be there for me -- they're going to be excited to see MORE • Guidelines me, but it's not going to be the same," said Cole, who must wear the neck brace at least until his next visit to the doctor in four to six weeks. Follow the Money KALAMAZOO PHOTOS Cole's 15-year-old brother, sophomore Adrean Cole, has been elevated to by Alex Nixon the varsity football team and will play the same positions his brother did. • American Greetings workers Austin's been told he won't be able to play football again, though he's in Tennessee hoping to get clearance to return for his true sporting love, basketball. accept new labor Jozo said doctors treating her son have mixed opinions on whether that's a pact, newspaper says good idea. • Construction Silhouette Duet For now, Austin simply appreciates the outpouring of support and is starts on $40 Clouds float by two thankful he will be able to lead a normal life. million 'downtown' students as they overlook for Mattawan, Miller Plaza during Western "I want to make sure everybody knows how thankful we are for their Mich. Michigan University's support, their prayers," Jozo said. "His dad and I were just overwhelmed MORE Bronco Bash. (Jonathon and amazed at everybody who came to see him, sent him well wishes, sent Gruenke | Kalamazoo Gazette) him cards." School Zone • Swimmer's siesta Said James Cole: "I have the utmost respect for Kalamazoo Christian. That by Julie Mack • Up, up, and away night, when it happened, the head coach came (to the hospital) and • A problem with the new MORE PHOBLOGRAPHER » another guy, I think it was a janitor. The next day, an assistant coach and graduation rates his family stopped by to visit." MORE GALLERIES » • Portage and The experience has opened Austin Cole's eyes. It's shown him how a academic community can come together and offer its support. achievement data KALAMAZOO VIDEO "At first, before the game, I thought Kalamazoo Christian was one of those MORE cocky schools that just cared about their sports," he said. "When it comes down to it, when somebody's life is on the line, they really care. It's a good Kalamabrew by Gazette staff school, with really good people. • Listen to us talk "I'm really thankful. ... I want to say thanks to all the people at Kalamazoo about beer ... Christian and everybody at my school, everyone that's supported me. I AGAIN! mean, I wouldn't have been able to make it without them." • Muskegon's own Touring Prairie Ridge microbrewery and Elementary See more in Sports , Top Photos distillery could be A open later this $14 year million Send To A Friend | Print this | Permalink facility, MORE Prairie Reddit Digg del.icio.us Google Facebook Ridge Answer Book features COMMENTS (1) Post a comment by Gazette staff a two-story media center and state-of-the-art • Taste and play at technology throughout the Posted by nyeratheart on 09/12/08 at 8:35PM the 17th annual building and a rooftop Wine and Harvest garden. The school is You are in our prayers in New York!! This was another eyeopener after our Festival in Paw about a mile north of the own Buffalo Bill, Kevin Everett took a hard hit! He has also recovered to Paw Chime school on Ninth walking again!! • The Allegan Street, just north of I know you will be facing a lot in the weeks & month's to come; but please County Fair Stadium Drive. remember, a lot of people are praying for you! I have put you on all my prayer blends national Related stories lists in NY!! acts with local • New public school flavor facilities are 'awesome' for God Bless You! students Bethany Peacock, a 1969 Parchment graduate. MORE • Chime Elementary School students ring out the old, Inappropriate? Alert us. Post a comment ring in the new • New school named • Kazoo Area Foot Chase Username (Don't Have a Username? Sign up here ): • "I know we can do it"