Broken back heartbreak for teenage hockey star

A BROKEN back in a holiday accident has set a talented Northland hockey player on a long road to recovery - just a week before he was to fly to Malaysia to play for the Junior Black Sticks.
Former Whangarei Boys' High student Michael Delaney, 18, was injured while enjoying a summer holiday in Gisborne.
Michael was at the beach, jumping into the waves, when he smashed into sand, breaking two vertebrae in his back. Friends on the beach saw Michael's lifeless body floating in the sea and hauled him out.
"His friends saved his life," said Michael's mother, Elaine. ``He had not only injured his back but had also drowned. He was unconscious and they put him in the recovery position and ran to get help.'
Michael was taken to Gisborne hospital and later flown to Auckland Hospital.
Yesterday his mother told The Northern Advocate that her son, who was in the winning North Harbour NHL team last year, had just come out of ICU where he had been since the freak accident at the end of December.
She said he had fought off an infection and pneumonia and had 100 per cent feeling in the left hand side of his body. He was still lacking feeling in his right side.
"He's had an operation where they screwed pins into two bones, but we don't know what the long-term damage is. The surgeon said he had rarely done this type of operation because most people die from these injuries," Mrs Delaney said.
"He's basically done what Christopher Reeves did when he fell off his horse."
Michael's parents, older brother James, friends and teammates have gathered around his bedside and are trying to keep his spirits up. Mrs Delaney said her son is "traumatised" to miss out on the Junior Black Sticks game and is worried about his hockey career.
"He's done exceptionally well with hockey, but he's never let it go to his head. The doctors are feeling positive so we're taking every day as it comes and waiting to see what happens," Mrs Delaney said. "He is gutted and has been asking, why me? But he's had immense support from people in Northland and the North Shore. We've been amazed at how kind people have been."
One act of kindness that has touched the young player came from Black Stick idol David Kosoof, who gave him the shirt he wore during the Athens Olympics which is now being signed by all Michael's visitors.
Michael's former Northland NHL and Mangapai coach, Barry Thorne, described him as an excellent player with natural ability and the right attitude.
"We're all thinking of Mikey and wishing him all the best," Mr Thorne said. "He was inches away from reaching the top level. Even when I coached him at the age of 15 he was one of the better players and got people talking. He's a fighter and hopefully he'll fight this and get back on track. It will be a tough journey, but he's a determined young fella."
Northland Hockey boss Grant McLeod said everyone who knew Michael in the hockey world was worried and deeply affected by his accident.
"He's very talented and it is very sad that he cannot play the game he loves and is so good at. We just hope he gets back to some sort of health and mobility."