Westling injury paralyzes Pleasant Hill teen

A student at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill is paralyzed after suffering an injury during a wrestling match last week.

According to school officials, 16-year-old sophomore Ryan Joseph suffered a spinal cord injury during a junior varsity wrestling match last Wednesday. He is currently paralyzed from the neck down and requires assistance breathing.

Ryan is being treated in the intensive care unit at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

Ryan is a first-year junior varsity wrestler and was a junior varsity captain for College Park’s lacrosse team as a freshman, school officials said.

School officials said Ryan is well-known by friends, teachers and coaches for his charm, exceptional wit and humor.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help Ryan and his family with medical expenses, rehabilitation and home accessibility. The page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/help-our-teammate-ryan.

As of this morning, the account has raised more than $22,400 of its $500,000 goal.