Community Corner

Jablonski Leaves Rehab, Ready for 'Next Step'

The injured BSM hockey player was discharged on Wednesday.

As the elevator doors opened, a gathering crowd in the lobby of the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Minneapolis eagerly watched. When Jack Jablonski came out along with his family, those watching began to applaud.

After nearly four months spent at a hospital or in rehab, Jablonski was discharged on Wednesday.

Jablonski, a sophomore hockey player, sustained a serious spinal cord injury during a game on Dec. 30. He was immediately rushed to the Hennepin County Medical Center, where he spent the next few weeks. In late January, he was transferred to Sister Kenny, where he'd been ever since.

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now, he's ready for what he and his family are calling the "next step," which includes outpatient rehab at the Courage Center and living in an accessible apartment with his family while their home is

“It’s exciting," Jablonski said of leaving Sister Kenny. "It’s obviously bittersweet, but it’s the next step, and time to move on.”

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Jablonski will now have outpatient rehab about three to four times per week, and he will continue working on regaining strength and mobility, though doctors say he is .

Jablonski's mom, Leslie Jablonski, said regardless of the prognosis, Jack has made incredible strides so far.

"What they’ve done here at Sister Kenny has been phenomenal," she said. "We were definitely in the right place. It’s hard to leave.”

Jack also noted that it would be hard to leave the nurses and therapists he's become so close with at Sister Kenny over the past few months.

“It’s been emotional. They’re all friends," he said. "But it’s time now.”

Jablonski's story has touched people across the world, including . His CaringBridge website has nearly 950 pages of messages and almost 1.1 million visitors. Friends of the Jablonski family created a website—jabby13.com—for fundraising and information on upcoming events.

Jablonski also proved to be an inspirational figure for the BSM boys hockey team, as the Red Knights . Along the way, he celebrated on-ice when BSM , then cheered his team on from the stands at the Xcel Energy Center.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here