Injured Edgewater QB Joe Aicher out of hospital: ‘I’m much better’

Two days removed from a scary scene during which Edgewater quarterback Joe Aicher lay on the field after a brutal collision, he’s out of the hospital, upbeat and excited at the notion of playing again. “I’m much better … they did a CT-scan, an MRI and an X-ray and somehow all of them came back negative,” Aicher said Sunday, a day after being released from Orlando Regional Medical Center. “I don’t have any serious neck injury, head injury or anything like that. “My neck is pretty sore. It hurts pretty bad and I have a minor concussion, but other than that I’m walking, moving, breathing, talking. Everything is great. It’s by the grace of God that I am OK. There is no question about that.” Aicher, a junior at Edgewater who transferred this year from Spruce Creek High in Port Orange, was injured in the fourth quarter Friday night during the Eagles’ Kickoff Classic game against Armwood. As he was running the football, he was being brought to the ground by an Armwood tackler. As he twisted to get away, he was hit by two other Armwood tacklers from the opposite side. “I have no idea how I can move, walk. My head bent back, touched my back. I’ve never felt anything like that before,” Aicher said. “Just to be OK and talking and hopefully getting back on the field in no more than two weeks is just awesome. It should be, at the latest, Week 3. I have to go through concussion protocol. “I have no tendon injury, no bone injury or ligament damage, so I should be good to go back when I feel like it, pretty much. They gave me a brace, as needed, but I already have full range of motion with my neck and it feels infinitely better than it did two days ago. It’s crazy how fast it’s healing.” Aicher laid on the field motionless for several seconds as medical personnel ran onto the field. As he was rolled onto his back, he showed signs of movement in his arms and legs and he was talking to trainers and doctors. He was complaining of pain in his neck and the medical staffers kept him motionless and steadied his neck until paramedics arrived. His parents and coaches also surrounded him and players for both teams knelt on their respective sidelines. He was eventually taken to ORMC by ambulance about 35 minutes after the collision. Both teams agreed to halt the game and it ended in a 14-14 tie. “There’s no way we can continue after this,” Edgewater coach Patrick Browning said Friday night. “I just hope he’s OK. I’m usually not a person who has a hard time formulating words for a situation, but right now I’m a little bit speechless. It hurts.” Aicher said his immediate thoughts after he hit the ground were about whether he could move. “The first thing you think of when your head gets hurt or your neck is, ‘Can I move my fingers and toes and my legs and arms. Is everything OK there? Is there any spinal damage,” Aicher said. “But other than that, it was like I just hoped I could get back out as soon as possible.” Once he figured out he had full movement, he was concerned, yet relieved, and wondering when he could play football again. “I was definitely scared when I got hit, but I think with all of my trainers and coaches and everybody being there for me, being able to move made me feel a lot better,” Aicher said. “After that it was more so that I was frustrated that I couldn’t get back up and play the next snap.” He said the impact of the tackle was, as he tried to recall, the opposing player’s shoulder pad making contact with his helmet. “I don’t think the player on the other team meant to target me or anything like that. It was just like I got wrapped up and it was kind of like a bang-bang thing,” Aicher said. “Definitely nothing that felt purposeful at all.” Aicher expressed his thoughts about how fortunate he feels having come away from the situation nearly unscathed. “I want to use it as an opportunity to glorify God through it all and just be positive and show everybody that it takes a whole lot more to bring somebody down than just an injury like that or an event like that, that doesn’t go your way,” he said. He was moved by the outpouring of support he has received. “Oh, it’s amazing. Just to see how many people care and it’s great to see everybody’s heart and just the community at Edgewater that I have and like the Orlando area,” Aicher said. “Even people from other schools, so it has been great.” He’s eager to get back on the field. “I’m not nervous about getting back, but I’m very excited (to be able) to be back on the field,” said Aicher, who is targeting a return to action when the Eagles play at Lake Nona on Sept. 10. Browning expressed his gratitude that Aicher was going to be fine. “Thank God he’s okay. It was definitely a scary moment, and we’re just incredibly grateful that he’s feeling good and is back to normal,” Browning said. “Football is important, but nothing is more important than the health and safety of these kids. We’re very thankful for God’s protection.” Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.