Sandy Creek

High School wrestler Kerry Ruffin will be moved to

Shepherd Spinal Center this week to begin the long road

to rehabilitation following a paralyzing neck injury in

Saturday's meet.

Doctors are

unsure whether he will regain movement in his lower body.

Ruffin, a

junior 125-pound wrestler for the Patriots, broke three

vertebrae during a wrestling match at the McIntosh Duals.

He was

attempting to get out of a move put on by Harrison High

School's Peter Ashford when the injury occurred.

It first

appeared as though Ruffin had slightly injured his back,

but the young wrestler was rushed by helicopter to

Atlanta Medical Center when it was clear he had injured

his neck and could not get up. Ruffin could move his

upper body and could feel some sensation in his lower

extremities.

Ruffin

underwent five hours of surgery Monday where at least one

of his broken vertebrae was removed. Typically, the first

48 hours after an injury of this magnitude will predict

how much movement will be recovered, but spinal injuries

are not an exact science, the surgeons say.

Ruffin,

also a football player for Sandy Creek, was praised by

both Coach Rodney Walker, his football coach, and Coach

Damian Belvedere, his wrestling coach, for his spirit and

courage.

Sandy Creek

High School plans to start a fund to help Ruffin's family

with medical expenses and the community has established a

fund at Bank of America in Fayetteville to help out as

well. The Georgia High School Association provides

"catastrophe" insurance, which takes effect

only after the first $25,000 up to $5 million.

Sandy Creek

has cancelled its wrestling matches this week.