Pittsburgh Native Recovering After Suffering Stroke While Playing For Slippery Rock Rugby Team

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A Slippery Rock University rugby player has been in the hospital for nearly a month after he had a stroke during a match.

Tommy McClain's family said he is improving every day at UPMC Mercy. People from Pittsburgh and beyond have been showing their support.

McClain is from Mt. Lebanon and played football at Mt. Lebanon High School. His family said he was excited to be on Slippery Rock's rugby team, but his world changed on June 26 when he was playing in a tournament.

"I just got called because he was rushed to the hospital, and they found a clot and they did a procedure," said MaryAnne Perri, McClain's mother.

She said her son suffered a stroke because of a blood clot in his brain, and doctors did a procedure to remove it. After that, he had a brain bleed, which caused a second stroke and led to another surgery.

"It was maybe his fourth rugby game he ever played, and it was just kind of like a lot to take in and to think about the future for his sports," said Samantha Squatriglia, McClain's girlfriend.

McClain turned 21 years old in the ICU on July 2. He received videos from current and former Steelers, including Ryan Shazier, Derek, and T.J. Watt.

"Just keep pushing hard. I'm not going to lie, it's going to be hard to get better, but as long as you keep trying, you can get better," said Shazier in a cell phone video.

"Thinking about you buddy and want to wish you a happy birthday," said Derek Watt in a video he recorded for Tommy McClain.

"I hear that it's your big 21st birthday, just thinking about you. I hope that you can get well soon so you can celebrate appropriately," said T.J. Watt in a video.

Squatriglia started a GoFundMe page and people from all over the world have donated. As of Thursday night, the page had nearly $50,000 in donations and around 850 donors.

"The endless love and support that the community has shown, it puts you at a loss for words. It's amazing,' Squatriglia said.

Tommy McClain is now in the brain injury rehab unit at UPMC Mercy.

"Thanks for all the videos. I've been getting better every day," Tommy McClain said in a social media video on the "Tommy Strong" Facebook page.

His mom said that some doctors told her his progress is unexplainable.

"They didn't expect him to talk for a couple of months and he's already talking, he's walking, he's starting to use right arm a little bit and it's just been the amazing, the improvement every day that we see in him," Perri said.

The 21-year-old has a long road ahead but he's staying strong.

"My brother is a surgeon who works with neurosurgeons. He said everybody is shocked, this is a miracle so he's on the right path," Perri said.

She said the donations will help them make some changes to their home for Tommy and it will allow him to get more speech and cognitive therapy.

Here's a link to the Tommy Strong GoFundMe page.