A family vacation in the Dominican Republic turned into a heartbreaking ordeal for the Polaski family when their son, Matthew, a college gymnast, fell and sustained serious head injuries.
Matthew, a freshman at the University of Alabama, was spending winter break with his parents, Michael and Stephanie, and younger brother, Evan. During the trip, he suffered a fall that left him with multiple skull fractures, a fractured pelvis, and several broken vertebrae in his lower back. The family has not disclosed the exact details of the accident.
A competitive gymnast and a new member of the Sigma Pi fraternity, Matthew was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to alleviate swelling on his brain. The surgery was crucial for his survival, but he remained in critical condition and was placed in a medically induced coma for stabilization.
Matthew was later flown to a hospital in Miami for continued care. He arrived in Florida on Tuesday afternoon and was still receiving treatment there as of Wednesday. According to John Clark, a family friend who organized a GoFundMe campaign to assist with the growing medical expenses, Matthew’s mother was able to accompany him on the flight to Miami.
The fundraiser was launched with help from Thomas Egan, a close friend of Matthew’s father, Michael, who previously served as the police chief in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The Polaskis are facing significant medical bills: the hospital in the Dominican Republic has already billed them nearly $75,000, and they expect an additional $35,000 to $55,000 for the medical flight. Insurance coverage for international medical care is minimal, and additional costs for ongoing treatment in the U.S. are expected to continue adding up.
“We want to help ease the financial burden so that Mike and Steph can focus solely on Matthew’s recovery,” Clark and Egan explained on the GoFundMe page.
By Wednesday evening, the fundraiser had raised over $180,000, providing crucial support for the family.
In an update on Matthew’s condition, Clark shared that a large medical team has been caring for him at the Miami hospital. Early signs of recovery are encouraging. Doctors had been concerned that a skull fracture might have damaged Matthew’s carotid artery, potentially cutting off blood flow to parts of his brain. However, scans showed no such damage, which was described as a “relief” by Clark.
Other positive signs include Matthew’s ability to respond to chest stimulation, and he has also started squeezing his mother’s hand in response to her touch. He’s also shown some voluntary movement, such as opening his mouth. These small steps have brought hope to his family.
“I can’t imagine how many tears Stephanie had in that moment,” Clark wrote. “It’s still a long road ahead, but there are so many signs that he’s on a path to a strong recovery.”
Matthew is being described on the GoFundMe page as a dedicated and respectful young man with a passion for gymnastics, and someone with a bright future ahead of him. His parents, Michael and Stephanie, have supported him through years of training and competition, traveling to many meets and tournaments to help him chase his dreams.
As they now face an uncertain future filled with surgeries, recovery, and long-term care, friends and loved ones have rallied behind the family, offering support in this incredibly difficult time.