A New Jersey family’s festive getaway quickly turned into a harrowing ordeal when their son, a college gymnast, suffered a severe head injury.
Matthew Polaski, a freshman at the University of Alabama, was enjoying his winter break with his family in the Dominican Republic. Accompanying him were his parents, Michael and Stephanie, and his younger brother, Evan.
Tragically, on Sunday, Matthew experienced a devastating fall that resulted in multiple skull fractures, a fractured pelvis, and injuries to his lower back vertebrae. The exact details of the incident have not been disclosed by the family.
As an athlete involved in gymnastics and a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity, Polaski was immediately taken to a nearby hospital. There, medical professionals performed emergency surgery to alleviate brain swelling.
The surgery was a critical intervention that likely saved his life, but Polaski’s condition remained critical, necessitating a medically induced coma to ensure his stability.
Subsequently, he was airlifted to a Miami hospital via international medical transport, arriving on Tuesday at 4 p.m., where he is still receiving care as of Wednesday.
John Clark, a friend of the Polaskis who set up a GoFundMe to help the family cover medical expenses, said on the fundraising page that the young man’s mother was able to be by his side during the flight to Miami.
The fundraiser was also organized with the help of Thomas Egan, who befriended Polaski’s father, Michael, when the senior Polaski served as the police chief in Robbinsville, New Jersey.
On December 28, Michael Polaski suffered a serious fall that left him with multiple skull fractures, a fractured pelvis and lower back vertebrae fractures
Polaski was on winter break from his freshman year at the University of Alabama and was spending time with his parents, Michael and Stephanie, and younger brother, Evan
The family was on vacation in the Dominican Republic (stock image). They did not reveal the circumstances of Polaski’s fall
On the GoFundMe page, Clark and Egan explained that the Polaskis have already been billed nearly $75,000 by the hospital in the Dominican Republic, and they expect to be charged an additional $35,000 to $55,000 for the medical flight alone.
The friends also explained that insurance provides little coverage for international care and that additional medical costs will keep racking up while Polaski is treated in the US.
‘Our goal is to help ease the financial burden so Mike and Steph can focus entirely on Matthew’s recovery,’ Clark and Egan wrote.
As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe has raised more than $180,000.
Clark provided an update on Polaski’s condition on Wednesday, writing that the young man has been treated by ‘a large medical team’ since he arrived at the Miami hospital.
‘They are still early in assessing but there are good signs,’ Clark said, before explaining that doctors were worried the skull fracture had affected Polaski’s carotid artery, which would have meant parts of his brain were deprived of blood.
But imaging revealed no damage, which Clark described as ‘such good news!’
The family friend also said that Polaski’s arms and legs responded to chest stimulation, which is a good early sign.
Polaski competes in gymnastics and recently joined the Sigma Pi fraternity at his college
Polaski’s arms and legs responded to chest stimulation, which is a good early sign, and he has squeezed his mother’s hand in responses
The fundraiser to help the Polaskis pay for their medical bills was set up by friends of father Michael Polaski, who used to be the police chief in Robbinsville, New Jersey
The young man has also started moving on his own, opening his mouth and squeezing his mother’s hand in responses.
‘I can’t imagine how many tears Steph had in that moment,’ Clark wrote.
‘They did have to then further sedate Matthew to reduce his activity,’ the friend added. ‘This will not be a quick journey but I think so many indication’s [sic] that it will be a good path to a great outcome.’
On the GoFundMe, Polaski was described as ‘a hardworking, respectful young man with a deep passion for gymnastics,’ and as having ‘his whole future ahead of him.’
Polaski’s parents were described as ‘unwavering in their support—traveling to countless meets, tournaments, and college visits to help Matthew pursue his dreams.’
They now face ‘unimaginable uncertainty, not knowing what the coming days, weeks, or months will bring in terms of surgeries, recovery, and long-term care,’ Clark and Egan said.
