One of Brandwag High’s most promising young sport stars is in a critical condition in hospital after he suffered a severe neck injury during Eastern Province High School rugby trials on May 7.Messages of support have been pouring in for Dano Swart, 18, of Uitenhage, after the budding first team rugby and cricket player had to be rushed to hospital following the devastating incident which left him with no feeling in his lower body, leaving his family fearing the worst.It was established that Dano had fractured some of the vertebrae in his neck, the resulting swelling and disc movement causing pressure on his spinal cord.On the night of his injury he underwent emergency surgery lasting more than 3½ hours.On receiving news of the incident, Brandwag principal Steven Zietsman travelled to Port Elizabeth to check on Dano.He also visited the next day and was there again on Monday.Initially, Dano was treated in the hospital’s high care unit, but he was later moved to intensive care after developing a respiratory infection.His mother, Sanet, said her son’s fighting spirit would get him through.The sports-loving grade 12 pupil is vice-captain of the school’s first rugby team and first cricket team captain.“I know he must be devastated, but God is there for us during this very difficult time,” an emotional Sanet said.She said her son tried to communicate with his family, who have been at his bedside since the accident a week ago.“He told us: ‘My hart is by Jesus,’ [My heart is with Jesus],” Sanet said.“So I know that emotionally he’s a lot more stable now because he knows there’s a bigger force that’s in charge.”Sanet said she had been present at the rugby trials when her son was injured.“He was tackled and fell, but when he did not get up I ran onto the field.“The moment I got to him he told me he thought he was paralysed – there was no sensation in his lower body.“On our way to the hospital, we saw him putting one [arm] on his stomach and about two hours later he could move the other arm as well, so we’ve already seen movement in his upper body.“He cannot move his other limbs [yet], but we’re leaving that in God’s hands,” she said.Dano had developed a lung infection, she said.“He’s still in a bit of danger, but we are certain the lung infection will soon be something of the past so that we can start the rehabilitation process.“[On Monday] he was quite emotional – he was crying a bit and he just needs a bit of reassurance that he is going to be okay.His sedation has been cut back, “so I think he knows what’s going on in his body”.“He’s in a difficult space but he has such a positive mind.”Sanet said messages of support had been coming in from far and wide.“Before he even went to theatre, within just four hours, we had about 900 people in various [WhatsApp] groups sending us messages.“People were saying: ‘Dano is our hero, he will get better and we will pray [for him]’ . . . we received [messages] from church groups, family groups,” she said.“Friends of ours held prayer meetings at their homes, but the meetings had to be moved to churches because too many people arrived.“He is getting better because of prayer and that we believe.“We have received messages from the Blue Bulls, from the Maties rugby club and even from the teams he used to play against.“Some teams, including rugby players from Brandwag and Framesby, played with a band around their arms with Dano’s name on,” she said.“We’re very grateful to everybody and it’s God’s name that we will hold up high.”Sanet said she believed her son would have had a good chance to go further in the rugby trials had it not been for the accident.Brandwag spokesperson Karen Pienaar said Dano was one of the school’s star rugby players.“The Saturday before the accident Dano had an excellent game for Brandwag against Daniel Pienaar.“He kicked five conversions and a penalty for a personal tally of 13 points.“Once [he] is well enough to return to school the staff at Brandwag will do everything possible to assist him,” Pienaar said.