USF kicker Bonani injures back in 35-foot fall

JULY 18, 2009

USF kicker Maikon Bonani was hospitalized Saturday after injuring his back in an accident while working at Busch Gardens on Saturday afternoon, fracturing a vertebra after falling about 35 feet from the park's SkyRide attraction.

Bonani, 20, remains in a Tampa hospital on Saturday night but avoided what could have been far worse injuries. According to a Busch Gardens release, Bonani was attempting to shut a gondola door he thought might be unlocked, and hung from the moving gondola for about 50 feet before falling and injuring his back.

"He's fine," said coach Jim Leavitt, who spoke with Bonani by phone Saturday. "The main thing here is that he didn't die. He isn't paralyzed. The most important thing is his health."

Here's a link to the story from Tampabay.com.

Posted by Greg Auman at 10:04:38 pm on July 18, 2009 | Permalink | Comments |

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