for the McDonalds as they waited and John Tanner has one more season
prayed. Thankfully, at 4:30 AM, the of high school golf left, and he has set
doctors reported that the bleeding had the bar high for himself. “I hope to
stopped and that no surgery would have a good summer next year, and I
be required. Their son, who began hope to play in several tournaments and
hitting golf balls in the back yard at get some colleges to look at me. I want
age two and began playing competitive to play college golf and hopefully do
golf on junior tours
at age seven, would
be okay. But would
the seriousness of his
injuries prevent a full
recovery?
Within two weeks
John Tanner had
regained movement,
Center, their fears were confirmed. and after a few months,
he was back on the
“He had bleeding on the right course for the first time
side of his brain, and the left side of since the accident.
his body was paralyzed. We knew But it wasn’t an easy
that right away. They ran CAT scans, journey. “The hardest
and the doctors soon knew that they part was just getting
couldn’t handle the extent of his injuries through a practice
there.” John Tanner was then flown without having to stop
to Vanderbilt University Hospital. “We because I would get light-headed and well enough to play pro someday.”
could see him regaining consciousness nauseated so much,” said John Tanner.
when they loaded him into the “It took me a while to build up to where One thing is for sure---John Tanner
helicopter, and that was the worst I could get through a match without now either walks to the tee box and
part,” said his father, fighting back that happening. And I just hadn’t clubhouse or makes sure he sits in the
tears. “Just seeing him wake up….and played in so long that it took me some golf cart whenever he rides. “There
not being able to get to him.” time to get my swing back. I just had to was another girl in the ER at Vanderbilt
play through it.” with a golf cart injury similar to John
At midnight, the doctors at Tanner’s,” said his mother, “and the
Vanderbilt finally gave their prognosis. Perhaps coming from a golfing doctors told us that golf cart accidents
John Tanner had a significant head family, which includes older brother are quickly catching up with four-
injury and the Adam, who plays wheeler accidents.”
bleeding on his for Western
brain would require Kentucky, gave John In order to expedite matches in
surgery if it couldn’t Tanner the drive a quicker manner, most high school
be stopped within to get back in the golfers are carted from the clubhouse
the next two game after such to their respective tee. Often there are
hours. They would a life-threatening not enough carts for all of the golfers
continue to do CAT accident. Or perhaps to sit safely on the seat. “This is a
scans. And he may it was a little luck hazard for our kids, who aren’t cautious
die. (which any golfer about jumping onto the back of a golf
welcomes) and help cart because it doesn’t go very fast,”
“Vanderbilt is a from the Big Guy said Mrs. McDonald. John Tanner’s
teaching hospital,” upstairs. Whatever experience should be a lesson for
said John Tanner’s it was, John Tanner players, parents, and coaches in the
mother Leslie returned to golf golfing arena to play closer attention
McDonald, “so they with a vengeance, to the safety of our student-athletes.
don’t pussyfoot and on the one- Golfers aren’t going to wear helmets on
around. They just year anniversary of the golf course, and with an estimated
come right out and that fateful day, he 13,410 golf cart accidents reported
tell you, ‘These are qualified for the state in 2006, the year of John Tanner’s
his injuries, and tournament for the accident, precautions are imperative.
there’s a real chance first time, shooting
that he may not a 71 in the regional John Tanner completed this season
make it.’” tournament. Now, with a 24
th
place finish in the state golf
two years later, tournament. HSZ wishes him the best
The next four- he’s back again for a safe and successful final high
and-a-half hours competing for an school golf season next year.
were pure torture individual state title.
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