Former Cornell forward Mike Tallman was paralyzed from the waist down after suffering a spinal cord injury during a pickup game in New Jersey earlier this month.
Tallman, who had three goals and eight point in 37 games with the Big Red from 1986-89, is currently at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J. The damage to the spinal cord is considered serious, and there is no word on whether Tallman will ever regain use of his legs.
“Mike is one of the toughest and most determined individuals you will ever meet,” said Cornell coach Mike Schafer, an assistant coach when Tallman played at Cornell, in a letter to the Cornell community. “Rest assured, Mike will meet this most difficult challenge with the same fierce determination he has brought to all of his past endeavors. Because of this, we know Mike will succeed.
“Mike and his family, including his wife, Kristen, and daughter, Brodie, have remained incredibly strong during this difficult period and have been touched by the outpouring of support from so many individuals.”
The “Tallman Family Fund” has been established to help his family cover expenses, such as rehabilitation, wheelchair, home renovations, vehicle, and so on. Operating the fund is Kim Jones, wife of Casey Jones, a teammate of Tallman’s and a current assistant coach at Ohio State.
Further information can be found by e-mailing “tallmanfund – AT – aol.com”.
