Oct. 19—FARGO — After spending a month at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, injured Mayville State quarterback Matthew Donovan was greeted by rows of teammates and coaches Monday, Oct. 19, as he was being transferred to a Nebraska medical facility for the next steps of his care.
Donovan remains in a month-long coma following a Sept. 19 helmet-to-helmet hit near the line of scrimmage against Simpson University during the Comets homecoming game.
On Monday, his teammates lined a long hallway at Sanford, offering their love and encouragement in a video posted by Comets head coach Rocky Larson and Terry Donovan, the player's father.
"Love ya, 3," and "Love ya, Matt," teammates said along the path, referring to Donovan's jersey number.
"We gotcha 3," said Mayville State President Brian Van Horn, as he offered a thumbs-up in the video.
Soon after the Donovan family secured Matthew's transfer to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha, the quarterback battled an infection, delaying his transfer until this week.
"Matt, big day today! You got a ton of people in your corner, a ton of people praying for you," Terry Donovan wrote in a Facebook post Monday. "Remember today to let that light inside of you shine brighter than the light coming down on you! Next chapter, time to work. Time to BE GREAT."
Madonna specializes in complex medical cases, treating treating adults and children with the most severe cases of brain trauma, spinal cord injury, stroke, major multiple traumas, neurological conditions, its website said.
Larson, in a Facebook post, said Monday was the first the players have been able to see Donovan since the injury.
"It was an incredibly special and emotional moment for our kids that they'll never forget," Larson wrote.
Since the injury, Larson has made routine trips to Fargo to visit Donovan and his family.
"But we can't wait for the daily updates to keep rolling in and to hear about all the progress and improvements still to come!" Larson wrote. "Thank you for all the support over the last weeks from everyone. It's been unbelievable. Please keep Matt and his care team in your prayers."
This story will be updated.