GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - A football accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury changed a young man's life back on Oct. 28. Zach Zarembinski, who played for Hill-Murray, suffered a brain bleed and was rushed from a football game to the hospital.
Zarembinski was released from the hospital on Tuesday after healing from an emergency craniotomy, according to his CaringBridge site. The craniotomy removed the left side of his skull to allow his brain to swell.
"I don't remember anything from two days before the incident to about ten days after," Zach told Randy Shaver during an interview on Thursday evening.
Because the head injury happened during a football game there was medical staff right there, the game was at St. Paul Johnson High School just minutes away from Regions hospital. All of that played a factor.
"42 minutes," said Zach.
"42 minutes between the time they put you in the ambulance and the time they operate on you," said Randy.
"That's what they told me," said Zach.
Since Zarembinski was admitted for surgery, his sister Becca Zarembinski has been posting regular updates to his site. The day after his accident, Zach was already responding enough to squeeze his sister's hand.
By Nov. 4, Zach had become strong enough to go off his breathing tubes. By Nov. 7, he was coherent enough to have cards from supporters read to him. And on Nov. 12, Becca posted an update that said Zach was "getting a bit antsy to get out of the hospital."
Becca's most recent post says that the hospital stay was very short for a brain injury, meaning Zach healed fast. He is even looking forward to going back to school.
"Zach is living proof that love, prayers and medicine works," wrote Becca Zarembinski. "He is a walking miracle and we can thank God and all the other supporters for everything they have done."
Zach told KARE 11's Randy Shaver that in physical therapy on Thursday, he ran about 20 feet, and even jumped.
"I'm in shock that I'm doing so well," he said. "That felt good."
Zach and his family feel confident of one thing - there is a bit of the miraculous in his brush with death.
"I'm lucky, I'm a lucky guy," he said. "It's a miracle. I mean, the way the doctors responded and all the EMTS and all that, I can't believe it. It's just awesome."