Ben Abercrombie, the freshman cornerback who suffered a severe neck injury in Harvard's Sept. 16 season opener, is "regaining some feeling in his arms and legs," his father wrote in an online journal Thursday.
Marty Abercrombie also wrote in the journal that the family got a call from Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who offered words of encouragement and support to the family. The Abercrombies are from Hoover, Alabama.
"He let our family know that everyone back in Alabama is thinking of us and ready to assist us during Ben's recovery," Marty Abercrombie wrote in the journal, which the family set up to update Ben's recovery.
Ben Abercrombie was injured in the second quarter of Harvard's 17-10 loss to Rhode Island. Rams wide receiver Marven Beauvais had caught an 18-yard pass near the Harvard sideline when he was hit by Abercrombie, who collapsed to the ground. The game was delayed for about 10 minutes while the on-site medical staff worked on Abercrombie, before he was placed on a backboard and put in an ambulance.
Abercrombie underwent emergency surgery for a cervical injury. His high school baseball coach, Adam Moseley, tweeted that the surgery was successful.
Abercrombie remains in a critical care unit at Rhode Island Hospital. His parents had written in the journal last week that Abercrombie was on a ventilator and had no feeling in his arms and legs.
"We ask everyone to keep praying that Ben makes a successful transition to breathing without assistance," Marty Abercrombie wrote Thursday, "and then we will shift focus to the paralysis."