By Maureen Inouye
Sophomore Nathan Haskell suffered serious head injuries when he was hit by a taxi while crossing the street in a crosswalk in Salzburg, Austria. Haskell, who is studying abroad for the year, also broke both his legs and ankles in the accident.
Haskell was taken to a local hospital and placed in a medically induced coma in order to reduce the chance of movement causing more damage. His parents flew to Salzburg to be with him and are still in Austria.
Since then, Haskell has been taken out of the coma and has been able to respond to his family with hand squeezes, according to updates provided by the Rev. Art Wheeler, C.S.C., and Dr. Paul Myers, director of the Health Center. Doctors are attempting to assess permanent damages and have begun a series of reconstructive surgeries.
Haskell is majoring in English and French. His unique personality has caught the attention of both classmates and faculty.
"He is an extremely thoughtful, creative and compassionate person who loves art and literature," sophomore Katie Young said. Young, another English major, had several classes with Haskell last semester.
"He has a very inquisitive mind and always asks very in-depth questions and proposes interesting interpretations of texts," Young said. She has been impressed by Haskell's dedication to literature.
A Mass was celebrated for Haskell and Emily Mues, another student injured over fall break.
The many students who attended gave their support and prayers for Haskell's recovery.
After the Mass, many of Haskell's friends signed a card that was sent to him in Salzburg.
"Nathan's an independent thinker, someone who needs to figure out for himself useful answers to the important questions about life," said English professor Herman Asarnow, Haskell's adviser.
"He's also a photographer, who enjoys his excellent Canon camera," Asarnow said.
Haskell's parents plan to set up a blog to keep everyone up to date about their son's recovery.
"The family appreciates students' support and prayers," Myers said.
