JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 16-year-old Fletcher High School wrestler is facing a long road to recovery after she suffered a severe spinal injury during a match that left her partially paralyzed.
Adahlynn “Addy” Arnold was wrestling for Fletcher at Beachside High when the freak accident happened.
“I was really scared,” Addy said. “I couldn’t feel anything, and I got freaked out — like, am I not going to be able to move ever again?”
Addy said the injury happened in an instant.
“It was kind of like a regular back crack — like when you go to the chiropractor,” she said. “And then there was another crack when she pounced on me. She didn’t mean to at all. And then it just shot through my spine.”
Addy fell forward onto her stomach and was unable to move. Coaches and the athletic trainer rushed to her side as her mother, Jessica Fletcher, watched from the stands.
“She was crying. She was lying on her stomach and couldn’t move anything,” Fletcher said. “It was really scary, but I tried to stay strong and positive for her.”
Addy was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a spinal concussion — an injury similar to a brain concussion but involving the spine. The condition can cause neurological symptoms affecting movement and sensation, and recovery timelines vary widely.
Addy spent six days in the hospital. During that time, she began to regain sensation on her left side but continues to experience weakness and numbness on her right side.
Fletcher told News4JAX that Addy was released from the hospital on Tuesday, but now she will have extensive rehab and intensive therapy as she works to recover.
Doctors have not given a definitive timeline for healing, saying recovery could take weeks or months.
Despite the uncertainty, Addy remains determined.
“I know my coach is going to want me to take it slow,” she said. “But I’m going back. I have such a love and passion for the sport.”
Fletcher said the family has been overwhelmed by support from teammates, coaches, school staff, friends and the community.
“When everything is unknown, that support means everything,” she said.
The family created a fundraiser page sharing that Addy has 14-year-old and 7-month-old siblings, and her family is navigating missed work, financial stress and mounting medical bills as they care for both children.
Katelyn Bush said all funds raised through the GoFundMe page will go directly toward medical bills, co-pays, hospital stays, inpatient rehabilitation costs, travel expenses for treatment, and daily living expenses.
“Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and support,” Bush wrote. “Our family would be deeply grateful for your prayers, for sharing this fundraiser, and for standing with us during one of the hardest moments we have ever faced. Your love and encouragement truly mean more than words can express.”
Click on the player above to hear more about Addy’s story.