The family of Mayville State quarterback Matt Donovan, who has been in a medically induced coma since September 19, experienced “something we have been waiting a long time to see.”
“For the first time since two Saturdays ago, Matt opened his eyes on his own,” Matt’s father, Terry, shared via Facebook on Thursday, October 1. “His nurse and I both got to see it. His eyes were open for probably around 20 seconds. Then they closed down to about a quarter open for another 30 seconds or so before he shut them again.”
Terry said he and the rest of Matt’s family and friends know “exactly what this does and does not mean.”
“Matt is not fully awake or conscious yet,” he acknowledged. “Opening his eyes today does not mean he has suddenly recovered or that we are out of the woods. But it may be another sign that he is beginning to work his way toward wakefulness, and after everything he has been through, that was an incredible moment for us.”
Terry also relayed another moment of “encouragement” from Thursday.
“I held his hand and told him, ‘Squeeze my hand. Let go. Squeeze my hand. Let go. Squeeze my hand again.’ And he did it,” Terry shared. “He later squeezed on command for the neurosurgeon as well. He did not get Matt to consistently let go, so we certainly are not saying Matt is fully and consistently following commands yet. But today there were moments when it sure looked like he was processing what we were asking him to do.”
The family has begun having conversations with doctors about “what comes next when Matt eventually leaves the ICU.”
“We will share more about that when the time comes,” Terry said. “At some point he will move on to the next phase of his recovery — although for his dad’s sake, I sure would love to see him wake up before that happens.”
Matt was airlifted to a hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, roughly 60 miles away from Mayville State University’s campus, on September 19 after being involved in a helmet-to-helmet hit during a game against Simpson University.
After arriving at the hospital, Matt underwent a surgery that involved removing part of his skull.
He was placed on a breathing tube, which was released in favor of a trach on Tuesday, October 29.
A GoFundMe arranged to help with Matt’s recovery has raised over $112,000 at the time of publication.
