Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY

Special to Mineral Wells Area News

The mother of a Strawn football player who two weeks ago underwent emergency surgery for a brain cyst says her son is recovering quickly.

“Keaton is out of ICU and is actually doing really well now,” Trista Tunnell about her son, Keaton Tunnell. “It was definitely a rough road getting to where we are now but it seems that with each day he just keeps improving.”

The junior lineman is not entirely out of the woods but there is much optimism about his recovery and healing.

Trista Tunnell said doctors at Cook Children’s Medical Center are monitoring the remaining cyst to ensure it continues draining and shrinking. She said doctors will know more in the next couple of days that will determine the next steps in his recovery.

“He is up and walking around and working with (physical therapy) daily to get his strength back,” she said.

The discovery of the cyst is almost a miracle. The big 230-pound lineman was injured during the Greyhounds’ game Oct. 6 at Ranger when he received a knee to his body. He was transported to the hospital there to ensure there was no serious internal damage.

Keaton was released, but during the following days, he struggled to recover from the blow. It was Thursday of that week when the decision was made to send Keaton back to the hospital for further examination. Doctors there performed a full-body CAT scan to view his injured side when they found something unexpected – a large cyst on his brain.

He was immediately taken to Cook Children’s Medical Center, where Keaton underwent emergency surgery the following day.

Strawn Head Coach Dewaine Lee said he was told by medical staff the cyst was large and growing and could have killed him had it not been discovered.

Lee created an online crowdfunding account to help the family with expenses through donations. As of the writing of this article on Oct. 26, $6,385 had been raised for the Tunnell family, exceeding the effort’s initial goal of $5,000.

Trista Tunnell said the family is thankful for the generosity and support shown.

“We have been showered in love and support, especially from our town of Strawn and all its amazing residents,” she said.

Donations are still being accepted. To make a donation go to Keaton’s GoFundMe page here.