By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



The north Jefferson community is pulling together to pray and help the family of an injured Gardendale High School wrestler.

Sixteen-year-old Brandon Cato has been at UAB hospital since a Dec. 22 wrestling accident. Cato was scheduled to have surgery on Friday that could repair a spinal injury.

On Thursday night in the lobby of UAB’s north pavilion, Brandon’s father, Barry Cato, talked about his son’s injury and the overwhelming support received from the community.

“The community support has been fantastic,” Barry Cato said. “We found out we had more friends than we really thought.”

Regions Bank is also helping out the Cato family with a fund established in Brandon’s name. Regions Bank of Odum Road manager Lamar Kelley said he had been contacted by a friend of the Cato family about establishing the fund. He said those who wish to donate can do so at any of the bank’s 92 branches in Jefferson, Shelby and Walker counties.

“This is for the people who wanted to do something to help the family,” Kelley said.

Kelley and other Brandon Cato supporters were on hand at Monday’s Gardendale City Council meeting to talk more about the fund.

Brandon Cato was participating in a five-school wrestling tournament at Sumiton Christian School when the accident occurred.

Barry Cato said Brandon grabbed his opponent to throw him, and the two wrestlers slipped, injuring Brandon’s neck. The scheduled surgery is designed to realign the C5 and C6 vertebrae in Brandon’s neck and relieve pressure on his spinal cord.

Cato said he was told by doctors that Brandon’s injuries are similar to those of someone who may have fallen down some stairs.

As of this week, doctor’s have told the Catos that Brandon has only a 5 percent chance of walking again.

“We’re just going to be that 5 percent,” Barry Cato said. “We’ve probably got 50,000 people praying right now.”

Additionally, Brandon has also been asleep since Monday after a reaction to medication spiked his fever to 108 degrees. Barry Cato said he had not spoken to his son since Sunday.

Gardendale wrestling coach Brian Brasseal said he would not comment on Brandon’s injuries out of respect for the family. However, he said the remainder of team has kept Brandon in their prayers. “Right now, we’re just hoping for the best,” Brasseal said. “We’re praying and hoping he’s going to be all right.”

Barry Cato said his son has wrestled since he was a fifth-grader and has also played football and soccer.

“Wrestling’s a safe sport,” he said. “Sports is not something to be afraid of. If they go out and ride their bicycle, they can get hurt just as easily, if not worse.”

Throngs of students from Gardendale High School and other schools have been regular visitors to the hospital, as well as members of Gardendale First Baptist Church.

“That’s helped us cope,” Cato said. “I hadn’t been to church in 30 years, but now I see what you kind of need to be doing. It’s been a life-changing experience in a lot of ways.”