On December 26th, 2013, a 10-year-old boy suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in an accident while riding a makeshift zip line in the woods behind his aunt and uncle’s home in Easton, MA.
Matthew Cox was skimming across a zip line when one of the trees supporting the line snapped and fell on him. Since the accident, Cox has remained in a medically induced coma in the intensive care unit at Boston Children’s Hospital, according to his uncle, Chris Dupill, whose Massachusetts home was the site of the tragic incident. Matthew’s parents are now working to raise money to help pay for the cost of his hospital care.
Parents Seeking Donations for TBI Hospital Care
Over 74,000 people have visited a web page set up by the Cox family devoted to Matthew’s recovery. The family is asking for donations of any size through a sharingcounts.com account set up in Matthew’s name. On the web page, the Cox family asks for financial contributions. They wrote:
“Matt is a good student, an active member of his local parish and an all-around super kid. His medical costs are astronomical.”
Matthew’s mother and father moved to Maine from Hanover, MA last summer after Bill Cox, Matthew’s father, was hired to work for a financial company in Portland. The family built a home in the town of Saco in September and was looking forward to moving in and a starting life in Maine, noted Dupill. Matthew was visiting his aunt and uncle at the time of the accident. On Saturday, January 18th, a spokeswoman for Boston Children’s Hospital announced that Matthew was still listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
New to the Maine youth hockey community, Matthew was the No. 1 pick in the Casco Hockey Association youth league for the 2013 season that began last October. Cade Blackburn, who coaches the Avalanche team in Cox’s age group, drafted him onto his team immediately. He (Matthew) was easy to coach and listened well to instructions, Blackburn noted. Just before the accident, Blackburn was coaching Matthew to be more aggressive and physical on the ice. Blackburn said:
“He’s your normal 10-year-old kid – comes to the rink with a smile on his face. We always joked that in the middle of winter he shows up in shorts. And his dad would joke, ‘You know, I try.’ ”
Community Shows Support for Boy, Parents Hope for Recovery
On Saturday, hockey players from Matthew’s school, Thornton Academy, planned to wear his jersey number, 14, on their helmets. However, their game was canceled because of the snowstorm. In tribute, Matthew’s picture was also featured on the big screen at a recent outdoor ice event at Fenway Park in Boston.
Matthew’s condition has remained dire since he was first hospitalized in December, according to Dupill. His mother, father and two sisters have been at his bedside since he was hospitalized. Dupill also said:
“He’s pretty much been the same since he got there. They’re really just hoping for a miracle.”
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