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Kolstad Speaks For 1st Time Since Mankato Assault

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A former Minnesota State University, Mankato football player involved in a brutal assault in May spoke for the first time Tuesday since the incident left him in a hospital fighting for his life.

According to his wife's post on CaringBridge, Isaac Kolstad completed his first round of vital stimulation on Tuesday and within 15 minutes, was saying and repeating words. Molly Kolstad said in the post that he said "Haidyn, Malia, mom and dad."

Kolstad stood up for the first time since the incident on June 14 and started walking in small spurts soon after starting physical therapy. He suffered severe head trauma in an assault shortly after bar close in downtown Mankato on May 11.

Two men, including former Gophers football quarterback Philip Nelson, have each been charged with two felony counts of assault in connection with the incident. Nelson was soon after dismissed from the football team at Rutgers, where he had transferred to after leaving Minnesota.

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