Family provides update on NMSU football player with injured spinal cord
The family of New Mexico State University redshirt freshman quarterback has changed his website to provide updates on his recovery and raise money following a a spinal cord injury.
“Our son Miles Washington, a Los Angeles native and graduate of Culver City High School, suffered a cervical fracture on April 13, 2013, during a spring football scrimmage at New Mexico State University, where he plays cornerback on the school’s football team. Miles was airlifted to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, and underwent a 6-hour surgery on his spine. He was later moved to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, where he received a second surgery to stabilize his spine. Since his injury, Miles has been surrounded constantly by family and friends while in the hospital, and he is in positive spirits under the circumstances,” the family says in a statement on www.miles12.com. The website originally provided football information on Washington before his injury.
“We are truly overwhelmed by the tremendous support and concern that we have received on behalf of Miles. The outpouring of prayers and kind words has helped Miles and our family get through this difficult time,” his parents, Ed and Rhonda Washington, said on the website.
The website has a link to donate to Miracles for Miles to help pay for medical expenses during his rehabilitation.
A picture on the website shows Miles Washington in bed after the surgery but it is not known when the picture was taken.
On April 22, NMSU athletic department officials would not confirm how Miles Washington was hurt during a play in mid-April during a full-contact scrimmage.
Washington suffered a spinal cord injury and was transported to an El Paso-area hospital for surgery.
The injury was suffered during an 11-on-11 full contact scrimmage. Washington was attempting to make a tackle during a play with five minutes left in the practice.
According to one NMSU athletic department official, he could not confirm that Washington was kneed to the helmet during an attempted tackle. The Las Cruces Sun-News reported that medical staff attending to Washington said the player was kneed in the facemask.
The official ABC-7 spoke with did not see the play and could not confirm that report.
