A Michigan soccer referee is facing a grueling six-month recovery after a kicked ball struck him in the back of the head during a high school game, knocking him unconscious and leaving him with devastating injuries.
Samir Alnasir, 51, was officiating an Aug. 27 game at University of Detroit Jesuit High School when the ball hit him from behind.
He immediately collapsed on the field.
According to a GoFundMe organized by his family, Alnasir suffered four fractured bones in his neck, a concussion, a blood clot in his brain and nerve damage.
He spent about two weeks in the hospital, including time in the intensive care unit, before finally being allowed to return home.
Now, Alnasir is on strict bed rest and wearing a metal stabilization device to keep his neck in place while it heals.
Doctors expect the initial recovery to take around six months, after which he will likely need additional physical therapy.
Alnasir told Click on Detroit that he has no memory of the moment the ball struck him.
Strangely, however, he said he remembers having an uneasy feeling before the game began.
Despite everything that happened, Alnasir said he is simply thankful to still be alive and able to move.
“Well, I said thank you, because God, I still live. And I still move my hand and my feet,” he told the outlet.
The accident has also created a major financial crisis for his family.
Alnasir is a husband and father of four. He also helps care for his bedridden son, who has needed medical care since birth and is currently waiting for a kidney, according to the fundraiser.
With Alnasir unable to work, his wife is now caring for him, their children and their medically fragile son while also trying to keep the household running.
The GoFundMe was created to help cover rent, food, household expenses, medical bills and other costs while Alnasir remains unable to work.
The veteran soccer referee said the outpouring of support from people in the community has left him stunned.
“From me and my family, we say thank you. And God bless you, bless everyone,” Alnasir said.
He added that messages of support have helped him realize just how many people are behind him during his recovery.
“I never feel like I’m by myself,” he said.
For now, Alnasir’s focus is on healing from injuries that could have had an even more devastating outcome.
His family, meanwhile, is preparing for months of medical care, therapy and uncertainty as he works toward getting back on his feet.