Fort Dale student hospitalized after injury at school

By Samantha Day | October 26, 2017 at 11:42 PM CDT - Updated August 14 at 12:16 PM

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WSFA) - A Fort Dale Academy student is at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, suffering from a brain injury.

Seventh grader, Andy Heath, was injured at school in what school officials are calling a "freak accident."

"It was an accident. Other students were involved, but it was an accident and thank God he's going to be okay," said Fort Dale Academy's Headmaster, David Brantley.

Heath was in the locker room when the accident happened.

"Andy was in P.E. class in the dressing room and he was accidentally hurt," said Brantley.

Brantley said the incident occurred on Tuesday, October 17.

Andy's parents, Michael and Valerie Heath, share a Facebook page. On Saturday, Valerie posted:

"We are still at Children's Hospital in the Neuro Special Care unit. Andy is not doing very well. He is in severe pain. An emergency CT last night showed NEW bleeding and swelling in the brain. The Neurosurgeon is holding off on surgery for now. He had to be taken to x-ray this afternoon to get a feeding tube placed directly into his intestines bc he can not stop vomiting due to the brain swelling."

She shared an updated post on Monday, October 23. She said:

"This is Valerie. I wish I had something good to report but there has not been any improvement over the past 2 days. The Drs say the brain has stopped bleeding for now but there is a large amount of blood on the brain to be reabsorbed and that is why the severe headache and vomiting continue. He is in constant pain but the Drs say they are limited as to what pain meds they can give a child w/ head injury. He is still getting all his nourishment through the feeding tube. Hasn't been able to take anything by mouth."

She ended Monday's post on an emotional note:

"This has been so hard- watching our child hurt and not being able to help him… please continue to pray for him. Words can't express how much we appreciate your love and support."

Michael and Valerie haven't posted since. However, WSFA spoke with Michael on the phone and he said that Andy is doing better every day and that he is no longer on a feeding tube.

Andy's math teacher, April Lowrey, said she and her students have been praying for a speedy recovery.

"As a class, they gathered together to pray for Andy and we've done that time and time again," said Lowrey.

Andy's classmate, Anna Cate Brack, has known him since the fourth grade.

"He's really sweet. He's kind of quiet whenever you first meet him but like after you get to know him he's really funny and stuff so he has a lot of friends," said Brack.

Those friends are anxiously waiting for him to return.

"We've been making signs for him and we did a prayer blanket for him and sent it to him and a lot of people have been sending him gift cards and money and stuff, we've raised a lot of money, and the football team sent him a football that he likes to hold onto," said Brack.

Headmaster Brantley said Andy's prognosis is good and that he is expected to make a full recovery.