SPORTS

Family, friends welcome Hunter Garstin home

Maurice Patton
mopatton@tennessean.com

FRANKLIN – Hunter Garstin was set to sleep in his own house Friday night for the first time in four months.

His dad anticipated sleeping more restfully than he has over that same time.

Garstin, the 15-year-old Independence freshman left paralyzed after suffering a neck injury during a wrestling tournament on Dec. 7, returned to his Sullivan Farms home Friday from the Shepherd Center, a rehabilitation facility in Atlanta.

With his mother, Emily, at the wheel of their SUV, the two were greeted in their neighborhood by a crowd estimated at 500 — including teammates, friends and other members of the community, many holding signs and banners and most wearing T-shirts with the Twitter-inspired phrase "#hunterstrong."

There were another 100 or so people waiting at their house.

"We were overwhelmed," a tearful Emily said. "I'm so happy. It's more than I could ever ask."

"I was not expecting this, honestly," Hunter said. "When I first heard about it, I thought, 'Yeah, this is going to be really cool, family and friends coming to welcome me home.' But this is just crazy.

"It's really nice to see how many people love me and appreciate me. I was at a loss for words. I was holding my mom's hand and she was crying, everyone back there (at the entrance to the neighborhood) was crying. All I could say was, 'Hey.' I didn't know what else to say. It's very good to be home. I've been looking forward to it for a long time."

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While in Atlanta, Garstin regained full use of his arms and partial use of his hands and developed some movement in his legs. Though he isn't walking, he is using a manual wheelchair.

"It could have been my boy," said Jeff Lynn, father of Independence wrestler Collin Lynn. "We're thrilled to death to have him back home so we can minister to him and be a part of his life again. He's a fighter. We're supporting him. He's got great support system behind him."

The system is an extensive one. A Facebook page, Prayers for Hunter Garstin, has received more than 18,000 likes since it was established within less than 24 hours of his injury.

"It just shows the community pulls together," said Kim Little, mother of Independence wrestler Zac Little. "It doesn't matter if you know Hunter, if you don't know Hunter. As a community, as a wrestling family — you don't even have to know somebody to join in and welcome Hunter home."

Independence coach Jared Grindstaff called the show of support "deserved."

"It's a pretty special day," he said. "Hunter deserves everything he's getting — all the acknowledgment, all the praise. I'm so happy and proud for him, for what he's done. It's not done by any means, but I know he's going to keep fighting."

"It's a relief, a huge relief," said Hunter's father, Christian, who lives in Nashville. "It's not a road trip to go see him, to make sure he's got what he needs, that he's doing OK. It's just a short trip down the road to see him. Just seeing him is all I need.

"I think I'll catch up on a lot of sleep, knowing he's closer."

Reach Maurice Patton at 615-259-8018 and on Twitter @mopatton_sports.