Blake Nelson

On the evening of Friday, July 14, 2017, Blake was hanging out with some of his buddies, and made the spur of the moment decision to take a dive in a swimming pool in Murray, KY.  Unfortunately, he did not realize how shallow the pool was. When he dove in, he hit his head on the bottom of the pool, and ended up breaking his neck.  The boys with him made the quick decision to get him help, After a few hours the hospital in Murray made the decision to transport him to Vanderbilt at Nashville. On Saturday afternoon, he underwent a 6 1/2 hour surgery to place a plate and cage to replace the broken vertebrae in his neck. The spinal cord was crushed in the accident, but not severed.  Since then he has been in the Critical Care Neurology unit here at Vanderbilt. Only time will tell what type of sensation or movement he will regain. At the time of the accident, and after surgery,  he could move his head and shrug his shoulders. He never lost consciousness. Since surgery, he has expressed some feeling in his right hands and toes. He is currently on a ventilator through a trache in order to assist with oxygen. So all communication is through mouthing of words. He has a long, tough road ahead of him, and the entire family appreciates all the support they have received from family and friends. Keep Blake in your prayers, and continue to send him positive messages and encouragement.