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Awesome story with a blessed outcome! Wow!!

This type of story warms my heart and makes me realize what the true heart of a wrestler can do!!! The hard work, extra effort and sheer determination should encourage people from all walks of life who have suffered accidents of this magnitude. Carl, I'm just a retired wrestling official who just wanted to voice an opinion but importantly wanted to let you know how extremely proud of you I am. Congrats on basically a full recovery and good luck going forward!! You my young friend are a true champion!!!! GK

Wow what a story. Keep up the good work. I watched him at the Wheeling Park Duels and he looked very good. Thanks for sharing your story very inspiring. Hope nothing but great things for you young man. Good luck on the rest of your year.

Carl Cochran! What a great story of faith and determination. I have watched him wrestle plenty of times, and until that article, I really didn't know the entire story! Although I am an avid Park fan, but I will root for this young man on and off the mat. I hope that his dreams come true in the future. In my opinion he has already won the game! God bless you Carl. Soupbone

Powerful story there. I wish this young man a full recovery and may God bless his parents, family, friends and coaches on his journey back. Win, lose or tie, this young man is a champion in any book! I couldn’t imagine what Carl and family Must have went through. Carl if you read this by chance take a look at Joshua 1:9. My son suffered a very serious injury and reading that verse (that hangs above my television) hundreds of times always seemed to help us both. Good luck this season!

Just as a side bar to this story, I would like to comment that at the State tournament last year I had by chance sat beside of Coach West for one or two of the sessions. We happened to be talking about Carl as he came over to say hi to his coach. What came to mind as I heard of his recovery was that, although this was before the tragic accident (and I will share that the news of this accident at the time struck me to my very core) all these things being said about Carl were being said by Coach West before the accident. It made me think that Carl wasn't defined by the tragedy that befell him. Instead, Carl was already defined and the tragedy only allowed the rest of us to get the opportunity to see him as those around him already did.

What a great read. So happy the young man made the recovery he did and gets to do what loves, wrestle! Best of luck to him this season. I'll have to make a mental note to watch him a little more at the state tournament!