Matt Sorisho - during his team's state semifinal
game against East Kentwood last season.

"We are CC."
Evidently that extends well beyond the walls of Catholic Central High School. At the end of my last blog post I mentioned that if there was one school/community that could pull together in times of adversity, it was CC.
In the past 24 hours since I wrote my story on Matt Sorisho's devastating on-ice injury during an off-season hockey game, I've received a handful of people reaching out, looking to help out Matt and his family. One of those people was John Reilly of the Jack Jablonski Believe Foundation. Jablonski is a senior at Benilde-St. Margaret's - a Catholic prep school in Minnesota. He suffered a spinal cord injury from a hit during a high school game in December of 2011 that left him a quadriplegic.
I've been told by Hope Turner, whose son Luke - also a member of the Catholic Central hockey team - is good friends with Sorisho, that Jablonski himself will be reaching out to Sorisho. How encouraging would it be for Sorisho to be talking to another athlete who's gone through what he's just beginning? That would be an incredible amount of support, which is what I'm seeing on display from all over.
Another email came in from the team that was playing Sorisho's MDHL all-star squad when the injury occurred. They wanted to do something for the Sorisho family. Another email - from a fellow Catholic League school faculty member - came in, citing a desire to help the family out.
Turner said that a number of business people from surrounding communities have come forward, looking to help out in any way they can - from donating money to helping out with equipment or construction services (the family will need to renovate their home to accommodate Matt's needs).
As I told Hope on the phone today, it doesn't surprise me that everyone has reached out to help out, but it has amazed me at how quickly people have stepped up and come forward.
If you would like to help out or assist in any way, please contact Hope Turner via phone or email (below).

Hope Turner
(248) 719-5696
hope1@us.ibm.com