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Report: Privette fell 'unaided'

By Star Tribune, 01/12/12, 11:35PM CST

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Family disappointed by the finding. 'You don't get paralyzed from falling,' her mother said.

A Minnesota State High School League report documenting the hockey incident that sent 18-year-old Jenna Privette to the hospital says she wasn't hit or pushed to the ice.

Although Privette's father said after the Jan. 6 injury that he was certain that she had been checked from behind, an official who filled out an incident report said the girl fell where she was standing.

"She was not contacted illegally, did not fall into the boards and did not appear to fall awkwardly to the ice," the report said. The official said he checked with his partner, the linesman, the EMT on staff and the school athletic director, and "everyone agreed that the player appeared to fall unaided."

Privette's mother, Penny Privette, said Thursday afternoon that the family is disappointed in the high school league report.

"You don't get paralyzed from falling. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out," she said. "We're losing the sight of what's most important."

Penny Privette added, "We know what we know. We know what ... we saw. ... I'm not going to get into a big war over stuff when I have my daughter sitting here in a hospital bed."

Privette, a senior at St. Croix Lutheran High School in West St. Paul, remained at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Her mother said she was working through painful physical therapy.

Penny Privette said previously that doctors were hopeful her daughter would regain feeling in her legs, as she did after a similar injury in 2008.

Also still hospitalized Thursday was 16-year-old Jack Jablonski, who doctors said dislocated his spine and suffered several fractures and significant ligament disruptions, making it very unlikely that he'd have the use of his hands or walk and use his legs. He has since moved both arms beyond a range thought possible.

The incident report on his injury says he was checked and hit the boards hard. The opposing player was given a major penalty and disqualification for the check.

PAM LOUWAGIE


Jenna Privette

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