CENTERFIELD, Utah — A high school football player who was critically injured during a game last month has a long road to recovery ahead.
Ramiro Mendoza, a senior at Gunnison Valley High School, will no longer be able to play after taking a hard hit during his game against Milford under the Friday night lights and had to be rushed into emergency surgery.
"We’re just thankful that he’s doing better. He’s here with us. It’s still a long road to recovery, but he’s a lot better," his mom, Maria Mendoza, told FOX 13 News on Saturday. "We can’t be thankful enough."
Juanita Christiansen is a family friend who spoke to FOX 13 right after the incident happened. She also set up a GoFundMe account to try to help.
"He was hit on his left side, and they took him by ambulance there in Beaver," she recalled. "By the time Maria had got there, they had asked for LifeFlight to show up because his kidney had started to swell and had gotten perforated."
She said she tried to do what she could to help Maria, who had to close her taco truck indefinitely to help her son, spending days by his side at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.
"In the tough time, it’s nice to have, you know, a lot of people," Christiansen said through tears. "I’m just trying to help give some relief to her family in any way I can."
Tammy Roberts, the owner of TBK Pizza on Gunnison's Main Street, talked to FOX 13 last month when she was helping raise money to help her fellow business owner.
"His medical bills are going to be outrageous," she said.
Tammy's son Tyrus played with Ramiro and went up to see him in the hospital with other teammates to show their support.
"I just want to let him know that I love him and that I hope he does OK," Tyrus said.
When Ramiro's team hosted their homecoming game just days after his surgery, he was able to go and be beside his teammates on the sidelines. It was an emotional moment for everyone involved when he took the field, wheeled by his teammates in a wheelchair, even going out with the captains ahead of the game to the center of the field.
"I felt very appreciated by my football team and my whole community... It was super nice of them. It was great," Ramiro said of the warm welcome he received.
Not able to play football any longer, his mom says it's been hard on him to be home more and not be as active as he's been used to. But she says they know this could have been worse, and are so grateful for so much support at home.
"I can’t even express how grateful we are to our community. They’ve helped us so much in coming, just checking up on us and the donations as well, helped a lot. Very thankful," she said. "It’s just overwhelming at how much people care."
Ramiro also expressed his heartfelt gratitude: "Just thank you to everyone who donated or who helped my family in any way. Just thank you."
The family's GoFundMe page campaign can be found HERE.
