Pro hockey player suffers major spinal injury during game, requires surgery

A professional hockey player in Georgia suffered a major spinal injury during a game and will have to undergo surgery.

The Macon Mayhem said Justin Thompson suffered an injury during Saturday’s game and was taken to the hospital and was confirmed to have suffered a cervical spine injury.

Thompson posed on social media that he was "hit awkwardly into the boards."

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The Mayhem says Thompson has feeling in and can move all of his extremities.

“Justin has always given everything he has to the game he loves and has always worked hard to be a great person on and off the ice,” his family wrote in a GoFundMe campaign.

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The community has already raised more than $35,000 to help support Thompson’s recovery and medical bills.

There were just five minutes left in the game when Thompson had to be taken out on a stretcher.

Before being injured, Thompson scored a goal, tying the game up. The Mayhem ultimately lost to Roanoke 3-2.

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