What to Know
- An 11-year-old boy who was seriously injured in a school bus crash in New Jersey last week got a surprise gift from the New York Rangers
- Brendan O'Callaghan suffered a fractured skull, broken nose and collarbone and punctured lung in the crash, his father said
- The Rangers sent him a hockey stick signed by Henrik Lundqvist, as well as a card from the team
An 11-year-old boy who was seriously injured in a horrific school bus crash in New Jersey last week smiled for the first time in days after receiving a surprise gift from the New York Rangers.
Brendan O’Callaghan suffered a fractured skull, a broken nose and collarbone and a punctured lung in the Thursday crash that killed his 10-year-old classmate and a 51-year-old teacher and injured more than 40 others, his father Arnie O’Callaghan said.
On Saturday, the young hockey fan — who is a goalie on a youth team in Paramus, New Jersey — received a hockey stick signed by New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, along with a card from the team.
The Paramus hockey league reached out to the New York Rangers to arrange the surprise, O’Callaghan said.
“Hockey is his passion,” said O’Callaghan, who captured the moment his son received the hockey stick on video. “It was just a very special moment and I thank everyone for just being there for us.”
Since the crash, Brendan has been having nightmares, and keeps asking if he is “in a dream,” O’Callaghan said.
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Nevertheless, he is “definitely making progress, and he will continue to do that,” his father said.
“I thought it would be nice to capture the moment for the people that made that happen,” he said. “The support of the community, knowing that it’s there when we need it, it’s just been very helpful.”
