Wrestling: Crystal Lake Central community rallies to raise money for Alex Edwards’ family

The Crystal Lake Central wrestling community showed why it’s a family during sophomore Alex Edwards’ darkest moment.

Edwards suffered an injury during a match Saturday that forced him to go to two hospitals and stay at one overnight. The injury was the second in his family recently, putting a financial strain for his immediate three-person family.

That’s when his other family came together to help.

Parents in Central’s wrestling community started a fundraiser for Edwards and his family to provide meals and money for groceries. The fundraiser has raised over $4,000, shining a light for Edwards and his family.

“It’s crazy to think about,” Edwards said. “That people I maybe haven’t talked to or maybe that I don’t even know are donating for something that just happened to me.”

The injury happened Saturday during a match at Yorkville. Edwards ended up in a position where his opponent had Edwards vertical with his head at the bottom. His opponent lost control of Edwards and dropped him, who tucked his head in time but landed directly on his lower back.

“It felt like it exploded,” Edwards said.

Edwards laid on the ground and kept consciousness, but he was shocked, his eyes twitched and his legs were numb. An ambulance took him to a hospital in Aurora where he underwent a CT scan and MRI, which found three bulging discs.

His care team decided that Edwards needed to be taken to Rush University Medical Center in Chicago so a neurological team could look at him. Edwards stayed there overnight before being released Sunday.

“It’s crazy to think about. That people I maybe haven’t talked to or maybe that I don’t even know are donating for something that just happened to me.”

—  Alex Edwards, Crystal Lake Central sophomore

Edwards said he’s feeling much better but still has a hard time walking. Despite the slight pain, Edwards knows how much worse it could’ve been had he landed even a few inches differently.

“It’s a lot better than actually getting paralyzed,” Edwards said. “It still is tough.”

Once Edwards returned home, his mother Lisa received a text message from one of the other Central wrestler’s mothers that the community had started a Meal Train. A Meal Train is a way for family and friends to deliver home-cooked meals in an organized way while also providing donations.

Sue Butler thought of the idea after the wrestling community had organized one for her. Parents in the wrestling community wanted to find a way to help the financial strains placed on the Edwards family after Alex Edwards’ sister had recently gone through an injury requiring physical therapy and Lisa Edwards is a single mother working to pay for all the different added costs.

“When somebody needs help, everyone wants to step in and help, do something for them,” Butler said. “It’s amazing, it’s really nice.”

Central coach Justen Lehr didn’t see the injury when it happened but he thought the injury was an accident. He thought the move got away from Alex Edwards’ opponent after watching a video of it and didn’t think there was any ill intent.

Lehr himself experienced the support of the community when his son spent 10 days at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago during the football season. He wasn’t surprised when he head that the Central community came together once again to help one of its own.

“When people come together and show that they care that much about your family and your kids, I think that eases your mind about how potentially bad or negative the situation is,” Lehr said. “I think that’s even more powerful than the money.”

As of Thursday morning, the Meal Train raised $4,053, close to its $5,000 goal. Those interested in donating can do so by going to mealtrain.com and searching for “Alex Edwards and Family.”

Alex Edwards is eager to start his recovery. He’ll need to wait a couple weeks before starting physical therapy, which will decide whether he’ll need to have surgery. Alex Edwards is hoping to avoid surgery so he doesn’t miss the baseball season, his primary sport.

In the meantime, he’s grateful for the support of his second family.

“It feels great,” Alex Edwards said. “I’m so grateful I have this community behind me, helping me.

“It’s something special.”