Cadets Join 'White-Out' for Paralyzed Hockey Player

In a show of solidarity with paralyzed  hockey player Jack Jablonski, students from all over have organized "white-outs," encouraging each other to wear white to show support.

Jablonski, a 16-year-old sophomore, was injured Dec. 30 in a junior varsity game during a holiday hockey tournament.

Students from many metro schools organized white-outs on Thursday via social media. After seeing Thursday's efforts,  Cadet Colonel Mitch Perry organized the school's white-out for Friday.

Perry said he thought students have gotten involved because they identify with Jablonski. “Here’s a kid just doing what he loves. It’s kind of shocking to kids that it happened.”

Rather than the standard blue shirt of their day-to-day uniform, Cadets turned out in their formal white dress uniform shirts Friday morning. The formal attire is reserved for special occasions such as Mass and Cadet reviews, according to the school's Communications Director Mary Culbertson. 

Jablonski underwent , and doctors have determined that due to the spinal cord injury he sustained from an illegal hit, it is unlikely that he will ever walk again and will have little use of his arms.

"This is just a small gesture that our school could do," said Perry. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."

If you would like to reach out to the Jablonski family, messages of support are welcome at his CaringBridge site.

Donations to the Jack Jablonski Fund established at Wells Fargo can be mailed to P.O. Box 16387, St. Louis Park, MN. 

Editor's Note: This story was updated Friday afternoon with comments from the school's Cadet Colonel.