Officials Assess New Helmets In Wake Of Football Player's Brain Injury

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — Under the Friday night lights, Poly High School football player No. 18 Joshua Nava walked off the field in Riverside, shaken up after a play.

"He made a tackle and came off the field, and everything seemed normal, and then he went through concussion symptoms," Nava's stepfather Ron Ford said.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Ford says the doctor said his son needed emergency brain surgery and has been in a coma.

In what Ford calls a "miracle," bleeding has stopped on his brain, the swelling is subsiding and he's fighting.

Riverside Unified school officials say Poly High's football team has new helmets with sensors that monitor force and frequency.

"With regard to the student, we are still going through all the data," said district spokesman Justin Grayson. "We don't know for sure if there was a ping or there wasn't."

The family plans to follow up on what information the sensor may provide, but for now, big brother Luis Nava is focused on Josh's healing so that he can one day pursue his dreams of being a doctor.

"He's a fighter. I know he's going to make it," said Luis. "I have faith in God, and I know that God has it in his hands and he has everything under control."

Josh's brother and stepdad say they are thankful for all the prayers.

Ford, who is an athletic director at a school in the Los Angeles area, says football has taught his son discipline and how to be a man.

"I'm educated and aware of the circumstances that injuries can cause, but you just never know it's going to be your child," he said.