BMX pro Brett Banasiewciz remains in a medically induced coma in a Virginia Beach hospital, but appears to be making progress. According to Trish Bare Grounds, the medical coordinator of Bare Essentials Sports Medicine, "Brett slept very well [Sunday] night. This morning's CT Scan showed bleeds getting smaller but swelling still has a way to go."
"The good news is we should be past [his brain] wanting to increase swelling, so we're very happy about that," she continued.
Brett's mother, Lisa, added that the trauma team is weaning him off sedation and that he will presumably wake up on Tuesday. "Then the hard work will begin," she added.
While still under sedation, Banasiewciz, 17, has begun to show signs of restlessness. Bare Grounds said, "Brett attempted to get out of bed [on Sunday] by kicking one of the machines at bedside and attempting to sit up. His eyes still are not yet opening but he is ready to be out of this place!"
Banasiewicz crashed during practice Thursday at the LXVI BMX Invitational presented by Vans in Virgnia Beach, Va. After being rushed to the hospital, he was put under sedation while doctors monitored bleeding on his brain and swelling. As news of Banasiewicz's condition spread, an outpouring of support from the global BMX community flooded Banasiewciz's Twitter and Facebook page, evoking words of support from professional golfer Rickie Fowler and fellow BMX rider T.J. Lavin, who crashed at the Dew Tour Championships and suffered a traumatic brain injury in October of 2010.
Following Banasiewicz's crash last week, fellow BMX competitor and multiple X Games gold medalist Scotty Cranmer decided to start riding in a full-face helmet. "I've seen too many of my friends get hurt," Cranmer said.
Via Twitter, Lavin, healthy once again but retired from BMX competition, chimed in. "I'm proud to call you my friend," he said.
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