Coach Blake Crutsinger and family (Photo: Ponder FCA via Facebook)
A Ponder ISD high school track & field coach remains in intensive care after being struck in the head by a shot put during a regional track and field meet, according to media reports and family updates.
Blake Crutsinger, a track and assistant football coach at Ponder High School, was injured Saturday at a meet in Tyler in what witnesses described as a "freak accident."
Crutsinger suffered a traumatic brain injury and was hospitalized in critical condition following the incident, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle.
Doctors expect Crutsinger to remain in intensive care for at least two to four weeks and will later transfer him to an inpatient rehabilitation facility, likely in Dallas, according to the updates posted to Facebook from his wife, Leslie.
Photo: Courtesy of Leslie Crutsinger Facebook
Witnesses at the meet described a chaotic scene that quickly turned into a coordinated emergency response, with bystanders calling 911, assisting medical personnel and clearing space for first responders.
"I watched dozens and dozens of people leap into action," one attendee wrote in a social media post. "What should have been chaotic looked like teamwork."
Officials have not released additional details about how the incident occurred. It remains unclear whether any review of safety protocols will follow.
A GoFundMe has been created to support Crutsinger and his family as he recovers from his injuries and faces mounting medical expenses.
