Love pours in for injured Chapin lacrosse player

Support is pouring in from around the state for a Chapin High lacrosse player who suffered a severe spinal-cord injury during a March 4 match.

Chapin junior Jack Enright suffered a “crush fracture” of one of his vertebrae into his spinal cord, according to a statement released over the weekend by his mother, Ann Enright, to the Chapin News. The injury occurred during a match against Lexington High, though details have not been released.

Nearly 30 students and parents went to Palmetto Health Richland after Enright was injured even though it was a school night, Chapin lacrosse head coach Jeremy Metcalfe said Tuesday.

Since then, groups from the Midlands and across the state have reached out – fellow classmates, community residents, lacrosse players at other schools, even Gov. Nikki Haley – to offer support.

“Pray for Jack” signs have sprouted up around Chapin.

“I’ve never seen a reaction like this,” Metcalfe said. “I’ve personally gotten an email from almost every coach in the state offering their support in some way.”

Enright was in the ICU earlier this week, according to the weekend statement from his mother, who noted at that time he had not moved his feet and legs but has kept sensory function and can still feel a touch.

She said her son will be released sometime later this week, perhaps next, and will be taken to the Shepard Spine Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta.

“Our humble gratitude cannot be expressed enough,” his mother said in her statement. “He remains in good spirits, thanks to the overwhelming support he has received.”

Offers to help the family financially have resulted in the Chapin Eagle Club setting up an account at TD Bank in Chapin, with the bank making the first donation to start the Jack Enright Fund. It was not known how much money had been raised by Tuesday.

And Friday, several of Enright’s Chapin High classmates are putting together a schoolwide pep rally for him, offering those who haven’t gotten to speak to him yet a chance to send him a message via video.

“He’s one of those guys that cares so much about everyone,” said Carolina Fowler, an 11th-grade student and friend at Chapin High. “So many people wanted to see him and even though I only got to see him for about three minutes, he was the one making me smile even though I was there to try to make him smile. He’s got a heart of gold.”

Enright’s injury has brought tight-knit Chapin even closer, said another friend, Joanna Dyches, a 10th-grader. “He’s shown us how much we need to be together as a community,” she said.

This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 10:25 PM.