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Fanelli wants to return to Kitchener Rangers 5 · Wednesday, November 18, 2009 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Continued from page 1 suits or whether Liambas might be allowed to visit Ben at some point. They said their thoughts were focused on Ben. Their son is back. And he's still the son they had before the horrifying injury. "I just thank God that Ben is still Ben," said his dad Frank, just back from playing a game of pickup hockey with his firefighter pals from work. "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And I feel like I could lift the entire world on my shoulders." Still, the damage is done. A scar near Ben's right eye marks the cut that bled into a puddle on the ice as trainers and medical workers rushed to his aid the night before Halloween. How many stitches? About 16. One skull fracture is in front of his right ear. Another, Ben pointed to, is on the back of his head along his bottom hairline. The family speaks of the consequences for their son. "Life-changing consequences," Sue said. His rookie OHL season is lost. His shot at playing for the Ontario under-17 squad is gone. He'll lose one semester in school, maybe two. Sue wants hockey players to think more about the after-effects of not playing the game with respect for your opponent. Maybe Ben's ordeal will prevent others. "I'm not a real hockey fan," she said. "I find it too physical a game for me. I supported Ben "I feel like I'm home for the week and my parents will drive me back up to Kitchener and I'll go to sleep and head to practice in the morning. But I guess that's not going to happen." Ben Fanelli along the way but . . . I know his face is healing. I know he looks good. But I wanted to make sure people understood this is a really serious head injury." When Ben hit the ice three Fridays ago and lay motionless, things looked grave. The Fanellis raced from their seats to get to him. Frank has witnessed much in his 20 years as a firefighter. This hit him harder. "I've seen a lot worse," he said. "But when it's your own child, it's completely different. Things I've seen and done on the job don't compare." Ben has a black hole in his memory now. He recalls nothing of the day he was injured. The first three days in Hamilton General Hospital are a blank, too. "I didn't know where I was or why I was in the hospital," Ben said. "At first, I was hoping it was a dream and I'd wake up. Once I started to realize where I was, then I knew it must have been hockey. Something had happened." Once Ben recognized his family was there with him, his progress sped up. His parents, his cousins, his aunts, his agent, Rangers staff and his 80-year-old grandfather Frank all came to visit him in intensive care. Ben's billet mom from Kitchener, Wendy Brum, sent three cards to him in hospital. The nurses started remarking on Ben's sense of humour. That's when his mom first knew her son was coming back to her. But there was one more scare. The neurosurgeon was concerned about a blood clot. If things didn't improve, surgery would be needed. "That was the scariest moment of my life," Ben said. But the clot shrunk and, just as his dad had promised, he was out of hospital on Friday, a week after being airlifted in. His dad didn't want to give the doctor time to change his mind. "Right away, my dad ran to the car and started it up," Ben laughed. So, Sunday, Fanelli enjoyed his ninth day at home. He spent time with his cousins and took it easy. If he pushes himself to do some small tasks, he tires out in an hour and a half. Then, he takes a 45-minute nap. Ben has taken a few walks, but hasn't raked any leaves. Mostly, Ben reads and does crosswords from the newspaper. His doctor wants him to stimulate his brain as much as he can. Sunday night, he watched a movie with his older brother Chris, 18. They used to fight a lot. But ever since Ben left home to come to Kitchener in September, their relationship has changed. A lot. "We've become closer," Ben said. Ben wants to get active again as soon as he can. But his balance is off. His sight is sometimes fuzzy and he gets headaches. He's an avid swimmer and can't wait to get back into the pool. Maybe, in the summer, he'll take up rowing with the Oakville club just down the street on Sixteen-Mile Creek. Perhaps after that, hockey will re-enter his life. "It hasn't really sunk in that, I guess, I won't be playing for the rest of the year," he said. "I feel like I'm home for the week and my parents will drive me back up to Kitchener and I'll go to sleep and head to practise in the morning. But I guess that's not going to happen." Ben badly wants to work his way back to the Rangers. In a month, he's due for more tests that may tell him what is possible. And what is not possible. Until then, Benjamin Francis Fanelli will work on his mom. No hockey for one year, doctors say. After that? All puck possibilities are open. Fanelli sounds determined to wear No. 4 at the Kitchener arena again. "I can't wait till I'm allowed to start running, just to do anything I can to get back where I was," Ben said. "I'm sure my mom would be completely against what I'm thinking." 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