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Back in the game: Emergency spine surgery saves soccer star

Molly M on a soccer field.

Molly M. is the epitome of the all-American teenager; well-spoken and bright, earning top grades in school. She’s also captain of her high school soccer team and has committed to continuing her athletic career in college next fall.

But what makes Molly extraordinary is that she’s accomplishing all of this while recovering from a devastating car accident that nearly left her paralyzed.

A game-changing car accident

What started out as a fun day celebrating her 18th birthday quickly turned tragic. While driving in a car with her friends, another car swerved into their lane, T-boning their SUV. The car overturned and Molly was ejected.

Molly was rushed to the trauma center at Morristown Medical Center — a decision her mother, Marybeth, will always be grateful for.

From the moment she arrived, the highly skilled emergency department nurses and physicians, along with the trauma team, sprang into action. Their rapid assessment, expert stabilization, and coordinated care helped ensure Molly received the immediate attention she needed.

“I really believe it made all the difference,” she says. “I don’t think she would have had the same level of care anywhere else.”

Permanently sidelined or temporarily benched?

Molly had severe damage to her neck, ribs, lungs, spleen and right arm.

Kimberly Ashayeri, MD, a neurosurgeon with Atlantic Health System, was brought in for her expertise in complex spine surgery. In addition to Molly’s other injuries, an MRI also revealed that she had two fractured cervical vertebrae and her spine was swollen.  Not would she mostly likely never play soccer again — she might never walk again.

Molly’s mother wouldn’t accept this. She recalls saying, “Nope, that’s not going to be her.”

The ultimate assist: expert care and community support

Molly’s spine surgery was scheduled immediately. Dr. Ashayeri performed a cervical laminectomy to relieve pressure from the injured spinal cord. She also performed a cervical fusion on Molly’s C3 through C6 vertebrae by putting in screws and rods to stabilize and reconstruct the broken bone in her neck.

The procedure went smoothly, but Molly’s recovery would be long and difficult. She remained in the Morristown ICU for two weeks, undergoing another surgery to repair her right ulna (one of the two bones in the forearm).

Meanwhile, support poured in from her community. Visitors came to see her. A successful fundraiser helped cover medical expenses. November 21 was declared “Molly Mack Day,” and a co-ed exhibition soccer game was played in her honor.

(Re)Training season: working towards recovery

As an athlete, Molly was already physically and mentally strong. These traits proved vital to her recovery as her body healed.

Once stable, Molly was transferred to the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, but her neck was still very weak. Her right arm, leg and ankle also needed to be strengthened and retrained.

“My right leg had to relearn how to walk,” Molly recalls. “But it was mostly my neck. My whole neck, shoulders and back were in pain.”

Week by week, Molly got stronger. Eventually, she was able to walk without help. Occupational therapists worked with her to regain function in her arms and hands, using electrical stimulation to encourage muscle movement. By the time she left inpatient rehab, Molly recovered most of her functionality in her left hand and was even starting to dribble a soccer ball again.

“We were in the right place and Molly had the best therapists,” declares Marybeth. “They pushed her exactly as much as she needed them to.”

Turning a tragic setback into an incredible comeback

A month and a half after her accident, Molly finally returned home. At her follow-up appointment with Dr. Ashayeri, she walked through the door wearing just an ankle brace.

“I was very pleasantly surprised to see her walk unassisted,” says Dr. Ashayeri. “I won’t rule out anything for Molly. She works hard and just keeps improving.”

Two months later, Molly returned to school to finish her senior year. She continues outpatient physical and occupational therapy and is looking forward to getting back on the soccer field when she starts college in the fall. 

CTA?
Published: July 24, 2025

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