DETROIT – A soccer referee is recovering at home after suffering life-threatening injuries during a high school soccer game last month — and an outpouring of community support is helping him and his family get through it.
Samir Alnasir returned home three days ago with multiple broken bones in his neck, a concussion, a blood clot in his brain, and nerve damage after being seriously injured during a University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy and St. Francis soccer game on Aug. 27.
He spent two weeks in the hospital, including time in the intensive care unit.
Alnasir says he had an eerie feeling before the game even started.
“When I go on the field that day, I feel like — I don’t know, just like I feel something. You know something make you sad? You say, what’s something make you sad?” Alnasir said.
He doesn’t remember the hit itself.
What witnesses saw
Randell Bishop, a University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy soccer parent who was in the stands that day, described the moment the injury occurred.
“What happened is the referee blew his whistle, just like a normal kickoff, and the ball was kicked in the end of the second,” Bishop said.
Bishop said it quickly became clear something was seriously wrong.
“When it actually happened, you could tell it was very serious. The typical, you know, you hit the ground, and your arms are up, you knew something was bad. And he was not moving for quite a while,” Bishop said.
Leaders from both schools rushed to Alnasir’s side. He was transported to a hospital, where he went from the emergency room to the ICU, where he remained for two weeks.
‘Thank you, God, I still live’
Alnasir, who played soccer himself, says he feels lucky to be alive.
“Well, I said thank you, because God, I still live. And I still move my hand and my feet(…),” Alnasir said.
Beyond his injuries, Alnasir’s recovery carries extra weight.
He isn’t just a part-time referee — he is a full-time caregiver for his medically fragile son, meaning his inability to work has placed significant strain on his family.
A relative started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses during his recovery. The soccer community rallied quickly.
“We decided as a group of parents for U of D Jesuit, we as a soccer community, we tried to reach out to everybody that we knew and just to make sure everyone was aware what went on and all that. And it’s been a pretty good response so far,” Bishop said.
Community pours out support
More than $27,000 has been raised. Alnasir says he is deeply moved — not just by the funds, but by the kind messages that have accompanied them.
“From me and my family, we say thank you. And God bless you, bless everyone (…). Because now it’s how you feel about people. I’m surprised when I see what they write down for me. It means so much. I mean, rather than for me. And I never feel like I’m by myself,” Alnasir said.
It will be many months before Alnasir is back on his feet.
It is unclear whether he will need surgery once the metal stabilizer supporting his head and neck is removed. His family says the GoFundMe will help while he is unable to work.
You can donate to Samir’s recovery here: GoFundMe.
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