Former Mankato Football Player Improving, Still In A Coma
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A former Minnesota State University, Mankato, football player badly injured in an alleged assault earlier this month continues to show signs of improvement but remains in a coma, according to his CaringBridge page.
Isaac Kolstad, 24, is showing improvement with being off sedation medications and breathing on his own. That's according to a post on his page late Wednesday night. His family said Kolstad has been receiving high doses of pain and relaxant medications that are keeping him calm and stable, giving him time to heal.
The post said the swelling in his brain is continuing to go down and it is likely that he will not need additional surgeries to help reduce that swelling. His family said every day that "miracles are truly happening" and they are "seeing small signs of improvement and small victories of potential recovery."
Kolstad was allegedly assaulted in downtown Mankato in early May shortly after the bars in the area closed for the night. Two men, Trevor Shelley and former Gophers quarterback Philip Nelson, are each facing felony assault charges in connection with the incident.
His team of doctors said the chances for Kolstad to survive or make any type of long term recovery when he was first admitted to the hospital were minimal.
"The tremendous support and love, the so many people who have reached out to our families, the prayers and positive thoughts have truly gotten Isaac this far," his family said in the CaringBridge post.
His family continued to ask for prayers as Kolstad slowly recovers from the traumatic injuries.
