Westland John Glenn captain Dominic Spalding should be paralyzed, but lucky not to be (Story by: Terry Foster)

Westland John Glenn senior safety Dominic Spalding feels fortunate that he walked around the Providence Hospital corridors twice following two surgeries over the weekend to repair a broken neck.

On the 24th play of John Glenn’s 26-14 victory over Novi Friday night Spalding made a routine tackle, dropping Novi’s Jason Jennings after a six-yard gain. Nobody thought much about it at first. But Spalding lay motionless on the ground and without feeling for 15 seconds. It was a scary moment as a teammate struggled to lift him off the ground.

Spalding could not talk or move during those anguished seconds. Call it a miracle if you want. After regaining consciousness and movement Spalding walked off the field and stood with teammates before his mom drove him to the hospital.

“I feel good now,” Spalding said by phone in his hospital bed on Monday. “I should be paralyzed. I feel lucky.”

Spalding cracked his C5 Vertebra, which is one of seven cervical vertebra in the neck that supports the skull. Often players that break that vertebra become paraplegics. Doctors fused the fourth and sixth vertebra. Then they inserted rods and plates to secure the area during a second procedure.

The goal now is for Spalding to live a normal life of running and walking without pain but he said his football playing career might be over. He’s wanted to play college football like his older brother Devon, who is a senior wide receiver at Central Michigan University. Now Dominic is thinking about becoming a coach.

“I love the game of football and don’t want to let it go,” Dominic said.

John Glenn coach Steve Waller said Spalding would make a perfect coach because of his leadership, discipline and people skills.

“If that is what he decides to do I would hire that kid in a New York minute,” Waller said. “He’d make a heck of a coach.”

Spalding showed his toughness on perhaps the final play of his career. He bugged coaches to tell him if he made the tackle as he walked off the field. He did.

History could be on Spalding’s side. During the final regular season game of the Detroit Lions 1997 season linebacker Reggie Brown was temporarily paralyzed and lay unconscious on the Pontiac Silverdome turf for 17 minutes before being revived by paramedics. He received emergency surgery to fuse his vertebra, began walking two days later, and now leads a normal life. He gives speeches about his trauma and recovery.

“They said the surgery went perfect,” Spalding said. “It is just a matter of time.”

The Rockets will miss the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Spalding. He is a team captain with a 3.8 grade point average and is loved by teammates. He is willing to play anywhere. Spalding played linebacker on the junior varsity squad and is now a slot receiver, running back, safety and kick returner.

“He is a tough son of a gun,” Waller said. “He is not afraid to get dirty. He is a phenomenal kid. They don’t come much better than him. If I had 40-50 of him every year I would love my life.”