A hit on a soccer field leaves a high school player temporarily paralyzed and fighting to walk.
At first, it looked like a typical hit on the soccer field. But as Mauro Mondragon's teammates at Citrus High School began to run to his side, there were concerns his soccer career could be over.
"He was holding his neck, and he was screaming out, "I'm done. I'm done,'" said Rudy Salazar, a Citrus High School senior.
"He was just in shock," Citrus High junior Steven Potter said.
Mauro was blacking in and out of consciousness, but one fact he knew for sure.
"It was just like a sharp pain and from my knees down, it just went numb," Mauro said.
Paramedics airlifted Mauro to a local hospital. As Mauro's teammates cried and prayed, terror flooded Mauro's mother's thoughts.
"His legs. He couldn't feel his legs," Mauro's mother, Diana Mondragon said. "That was like, 'Oh, my goodness.'"
Mauro is not the average soccer player.
He has already traveled to Spain and plans to pursue a professional soccer career after high school.
"Soccer is his passion," Citrus High School soccer player Sinis Vaiokinnskas said of Mauro. "It's his life and he is a great player and a good friend."
The paralysis left Mauro and his teammates wondering if Mauro's future in soccer was over.
"Ever since I was six, it's been my dream to be a professional soccer player," Mauro said.
The first 24 hours after the hit were critical.
Then Mauro began to feel a tingling in his feet. His teammates were there at the time.
"That feels great to know I have good friends supporting me," Mauro said.
Diana Mondragon said her son is expected to make a full recovery.
