A Diving Accident Paralyzed A Teen Water Polo Player Star. Now He’s On A Journey Back To The Water

LONG BEACH, CA — The first words Jackie Apuzzo heard from her son’s mouth at the hospital were “I’m sorry, mom.”

Alessandro Loria Apuzzo, 14, had been at the Long Beach peninsula just a few hours earlier, Jackie said.

It was the Fourth of July, and Apuzzo, an elite water polo player, was inside the water with some friends. At some point, he dove into what he thought was a drop-off, according to his mother.

That’s when the teen struck his head against the ocean floor. He floated back up to the water face down and unable to move. His friends thought he was playing a joke on them. But soon, they realized Apuzzo was really hurt and got him out.

“We were so fortunate that there were kids around him,” Jackie told Patch. “If it wasn’t for his friends and the fast response from the lifeguards, he would’ve drowned.”

Apuzzo was taken to Long Beach Memorial Hospital, where, for hours, doctors ran tests and X-rays on him in the emergency room trauma unit, Jackie said. In the end, they found he had fractured his spine in three places.

The diving accident left Apuzzo with limited mobility, and he is currently bedbound, according to his mother. He can move his upper body, but he has no finger strength or grip. He has movement in his right leg only and can’t walk.

“Everyone’s saying because of his age, because of his physical condition going into this, he has a strong chance of recovery,” Jackie said. It’s just a matter of time of letting the spinal chord recover.”

The 14-year-old is a star water polo player and was one of four eighth graders last year to be accepted into the 6-8 water polo academy. At the academy, he was competing at a national level, often against kids older than him, his mother said.

He was getting ready to start his freshman year at Wilson High School and had been training with the water polo team before the accident.

Still, Jackie said, Apuzzo is more determined than ever to make a full recovery and one day return to playing the sport he loves.

“He is a warrior,” Jackie said. “He’s got the most positive attitude — friendly, great sense of humor, very positive. He’s pushing himself to do his best.”

He’s currently hospitalized at Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, where he goes through rehab exercises every day, including stretching and electrical muscle stimulation in his forearms.

It’s not yet clear how long the recovery process will last or if Apuzzo will regain full mobility, but Jackie remains hopeful. The next several months will include intensive physical therapy for Apuzzo.

Luckily, Jackie said, her son has received a lot of care and support from friends and hospital staff, who have been motivating him each day to keep pushing and getting stronger.

In the end, she just wants to see her son walk again and enjoy all the activities he was fond of, including fishing and surfing, Jackie said.

“It’s really tough,” Jackie said. “But I think he’s tougher.”

A fundraiser has been started to help Apuzzo’s family give him the support he needs on his recovery journey. So far, it has raised 12,107 out of its $18,000 goal. To donate, click here. Follow Apuzzo’s recovery journey here.