An Oregon teenager, who is said to be a track and field athlete, has stabbed himself in the eye with a javelin after tripping but is expected to survive.
Hollywood Life reported that the teenager, identified as Parker Kennedy, 18 years old, threw his javelin during a meet last June 24. However, he somehow tripped and fell right on top of the spear causing his right eye to be pierced with the javelin. He is expected to make a full recovery and is not going to go blind.
Kennedy was reportedly warming up to compete at the USA Track & Field Oregon Championships at Portland's Jesuit High School during the freak incident. He is a recent graduate of Hood River Valley High School.
The Hood River Valley's head track and field coach, Donnie Herneisen, was not at the track and field event as Kennedy was competing independently. However, Herneisen released a statement regarding the incident. He shared, "[Parker] was warming up and had just thrown a javelin and was walking out to retrieve it. It was kind of sticking up at a 45-degree angle and he literally tripped and fell. His spikes caught in the grass and it was the wrong angle and the javelin pierced his eye."
Someone reportedly removed the javelin from his eye before the medics arrived and was conscious the whole time. He was then flown via helicopter to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland.
Jerry Westfall, executive director of Oregon's track association, said that the javelin went through Kennedy's eye socket and not into his eyeball. It also did not touch his brain making him able to keep his eyesight.
Herneisen added that as of Saturday, Kennedy was listed in stable condition and could see colors.
Kennedy is also known for winning the 5A pole vault state championship last spring. He also helped his former school's men's track team to win their first state title. Kennedy was set to pole vault at the University of Washington.
It is unknown how long will he be in the hospital for recovering from the incident.
