Colton was rushed to the hospital, where doctors confirmed he had suffered two spinal fractures. He was prescribed muscle relaxers and is now being closely monitored to determine whether he can ever safely return to football.

“He’s out at least for this season. We don’t know if he’s going to be able to play again… These boys are high school boys. They’re 15 years old. The game means a lot to them,” Courtney said. “It’s their whole life right now… and for somebody to try to take that from someone doing so much is awful for me to see.”

“It’s unacceptable,” she told MLive. “My kid could have been paralyzed easily. He can barely walk right now and I don’t know if he can ever play football again. It’s his whole life right now and it’s just sad.”

“It was so purposeful”

Courtney Mims’ friend, Gretta Volkenstein, was the first to share footage of the shocking incident on Facebook. She told MLive that watching it unfold was “the worst thing that could happen to a parent ever.”

“It was so purposeful and impulsive by a kid, which is awful,” Volkenstein said. “It’s a split-second decision that can change somebody’s whole life. This is our time to say things that even when they are uncomfortable and teach the kids the right way to handle this and communicate. People have to be held accountable for their actions.”