Former Batavia Football Hero Hurt In Fall From Balcony

BATAVIA, IL — A former Batavia football player is fighting for his life after he fell 25 feet from a balcony while celebrating his 23rd birthday. Anthony Thielk, who played as a linebacker for Batavia in 2013, was enrolled in Minnesota State University and studying communications when he fell late Saturday, according to a GoFundMe that was started for him.

The fall left Thielk fighting to recover from skull fractures, swelling, and bleeding from his brain. According to the GoFundMe page, it's "too early to determine the full extent of [Thielk's] brain injury." His family anticipates that his recovery could last several months.

Thielk's family is also pleading with the community to pray for the ex-football player. "Please join us in prayer as "Anthony's Angels" and help him fight for a speedy recovery," they wrote, adding that they believe Anthony's fighting spirit will help him through: "We know that Anthony will pull through this, he has always been a strong and determined young man."

Click the link if you'd like to contribute to the GoFundMe for Anthony Thielk's recovery.

Image via GoFundMe; Patch is a GoFundMe partner