It’s been five months since a tragic crash involving the Humboldt Broncos team bus claimed 16 lives.
Thirteen people survived that crash and two of them remain in hospital nearly half a year later.
On Tuesday, the family of one of those two players, Layne Matechuk, provided an update on the 18-year-old’s condition as he continues his recovery at City Hospital in Saskatoon.
The Matechuk family provided this update on Layne’s recovery, and one of their favourite pictures. Our thoughts remain with them, and the Gobeils in their continuing battle, and all of the other families affected by this tragedy. #Humboldtstrong pic.twitter.com/sveqDzN0uM
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) September 5, 2018
“His main obstacle is his brain injury,” the statement says. “Layne is getting stronger every day but is struggling getting his speech back.”
“Layne is also working on getting full mobility with his right side, leg is pretty good but right hand has tremors and does not have full use yet.”
The family added that he’s not fully aware of what happened regarding the April 6 bus crash, but “is getting closer to being able to deal with it.”
This is the first update the family has provided on Matechuk since June, when they revealed that he had come out of his coma and didn’t seem to remember the crash.
Humboldt will open the 2018-19 regular season next Wednesday at home against the Nipawin Hawks, the same team they were travelling to face in a playoff game that infamous night.
The game is unsurprisingly sold out and it will be a very emotional night at Elgar Petersen Arena in Humboldt.
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