Boys lacrosse: Radnor midfielder Jack Norton is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week

On a cool fall evening last Oct. 3 during Radnor High School’s boys’ soccer match under the lights at Strath Haven, Red Raider junior Jack Norton went up for a header. Little did he know it was to be a life-changing event.

He collided in mid-air with a Strath Haven player, became unconscious even before he dropped onto the field, and stopped breathing. His mother, Radnor girls’ tennis coach Fiona Norton, was at the game. She ran onto the field and applied CPR, as her son was starting to turn blue.

“It seemed like forever [that he wasn’t breathing],’ said Fiona.

Jack woke up and was transported by long board and immobilizers to nearby Chester-Crozer Hospital, where he received a cat scan.

“I only have vague memories of the ambulance ride to Chester-Crozer and of the cat scan I got that same night,’ said Jack.

At Chester-Crozer, it was discovered Jack had a bleed in his brain from a depressed skull fracture, and a severe concussion and that he might need emergency surgery. Jack was transported to AI Dupont Hospital in Wilmington, Del., where he stabilized and the surgery was put on hold. For eight days, Jack lay in a dark room without any stimulation with round the clock medical care. He stabilized enough to go home, where he remained stimulus-free for five more weeks, missing school as well as all other outside activities.

Fortunately, this story has a happy ending.

“Because he was so diligent about not texting, getting on the computer, not turning on the TV, not entertaining friends and generally being in a dark quiet room for so long – he has recovered 100 percent,’ said Fiona.

How did Jack remain so disciplined for those five weeks of isolation?

Jack replied, “I had a lot of support from my friends and family, as well as the Radnor community as a whole that helped me stay sane throughout the whole recovery process, where I had to stay isolated.’

This spring, Norton has been a key force for the Radnor High School varsity boys’ lacrosse team, scoring 17 goals and five assists as Radnor got off to a 6-1 start.

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