I can see your halo... and Im not talking Beyonce

In all seriousness, I have never been more scared in my life.  My Uncle was recently in a hockey accident and broke his C1 vertebrae.  The C1 vertebrae is also known as your "atlas bone." It refers to the Greek God Atlas, who was known for holding the world on his shoulders. This is the topmost vertebra that joins together the skull and spine.  In most cases when the C1 breaks you're basically screwed.  By some miracle my Uncle had an unusual break that did not result in death or paralyses.  This is where the halo comes in.  Four bolts are screwed into the skull to attach the halo, which lifts the skull off of the spine to reduce the pressure so the bone can heal.  If all goes well the halo comes off in 6 weeks to 3 months.  While it's a long recovery and mobility is limited, he'll be caught up on Entourage in time for the series finale in July!  Back to serious though, he is working hard to follow the doctors orders with tremendous help from his girlfriend, family, and friends.  He has high hopes of returning to the ice in time for next season.  With a miracle like this, we are all feeling incredibly grateful.