Twin Cities hockey coach recovers from severe traumatic brain injury
By Marielle Mohs
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LAKEVILLE, Minnesota (WCCO) — Lakeville lieutenant and Holy Family girls hockey coach, Jason Jensen, returned to the Victoria Ice Arena on Sunday for the first time since falling during a hockey practice on Jan. 31.
“To be back here is great. I love the game, I love Holy Family and I love coaching for Holy Family and being part of the school, so it’s a good day,” said Jensen.
Two months ago, Jensen was immediately rushed to the emergency room in critical condition after his fall.
Jensen says he doesn’t remember much about what happened.
“I remember seeing my wife there, I remember seeing my family there, I remember seeing my boss showing up and those are images that click in and out, kind of like a picture book,” said Jensen.
The fall caused internal brain bleeding and swelling. Jensen was sent into life-saving surgery at HCMC.
“They ended up taking a portion of his skull off, allowing that brain to decompress,” said Dr. Matthew Puderbaugh, who was part of Jensen’s care team.
Puderbaugh said despite how severe Jensen’s brain injury was, doctors remained hopeful.
“He did have some signs that we knew were reassuring. He did follow commands early on, which we know is a good sign for recovery,” said Puderbaugh.
Jensen spent the last month at a rehab facility in Chicago, where he gained back basic motor skills, memory and balance. He said his wife and two kids were the driving force to get him back home a week earlier than doctors expected.
“That was kind of my motivating factor and really why I just maintained a positive attitude to try and get out and get better,” said Jensen.
While Jensen was working hard in recovery, the Holy Family varsity girls hockey team made signs for their locker room and put stickers on their helmets in honor of Jensen. Then used him as motivation to make their first state tournament appearance in program history.
“It means everything. That’s why you do it. You do it for the meaningful relationships that go past hockey, right?” said Jensen.
At the time of Jensen’s fall, he wasn’t wearing a helmet, something common among coaching staff. But the fall prompted an immediate policy change for the Fire hockey program.
“We’re only given so many months and years in this world. So I definitely wouldn’t have minded having those two months back, and if wearing a helmet helps me get that, I’m more than fine with it,” said Jensen.
Jensen says he still has a few more weeks of rehab back home at HCMC and plans to return to his full time job with the Lakeville Police Department investigative unit soon.
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