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What should have been a joyous high school graduation trip for Luca Picucci and his friends and families to Cancun, Mexico, was anything but when on June 6 the Dripping Springs High graduate suffered a terrible accident. Picucci, a starting linebacker for the Dripping Springs HS Tigers football team, had emergency surgery in Mexico for a fractured vertebrae and spinal cord swelling. He was then transported back to Austin by medevac to completely redo the surgery at Dell Seton Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center. After a month in hospitals, he is now in full recovery mode with a grueling therapy schedule.
For the Picucci family, the accident not only disrupted their lives but also left them with substantial
Luca Picucci. PHOTO SUBMITTED
10 medical bills. Because the accident happened in Mexico, it is unclear if any of the hospital bills or the medevac flight will be covered by the family’s insurance. The specialists working on Luca’s recovery are another expense.
The Dripping Springs community and so many from beyond have raised tens of thousands of dollars for Luca, but more help is needed.
On Sunday, August 11, from 5-9 p.m., the Hudson family, through their business Hudsons on Mercer, will host a benefit concert to raise money for Luca’s recovery. The event will feature Logan Papp, Shel & Georgia Hudson, Tracy and Resindis, and The Hudson House Band. Tickets are $40 and include dinner, a beverage, and live music.
Chad and Natasha Hudson, owners of Hudsons on Mercer, are close friends of the Picucci family. Their son, Shel, played football with Luca.
For Luca, the summer has been filled with therapy appointments, starting with two hours in a hyperbaric chamber each morning, followed by physical therapy, occupational therapy, and direct current stimulation therapy to the spine and nerves. With travel, Luca’s day is equivalent to a fulltime job. Luca had planned to enroll at Texas A&M University this month to study business but has deferred enrollment until spring.
At 18, Picucci is no stranger to adversity. In his junior year of high school, he tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), which is one of the major ligaments in the knee. The ACL is crucial for stabilizing the knee joint, particularly during activities that involve sudden stops, changes in direction, or jumping. For some athletes, such an injury means the end of their sport.
Picucci underwent surgery to repair the ligament, followed by nine months of recovery. “I kind of had to learn what it was like to go through a recovery process and go through adversity at the end of my junior year,” Picucci said.
Determined to return to the football field, Picucci did the strength training and therapy and returned to the Dripping Springs team for his senior season. His hard work and effort were rewarded as he was named District 26-6A Co-MVP (defense) his senior season. His stats were impressive as he was credited with 99 tackles, six sacks, and one interception.
Luca’s previous experience serves him now as he faces an even more difficult recovery. “I had to learn what it was like to fight to get back on the field, and I was able to do that. It was kind of a precursor to what God had in store for me now with this injury,” Picucci said.
Luca and his family are humbled and grateful for the community’s support.
Luca’s family, friends, and church community have been his support system. Luca said his parents have been his biggest supporters. “My parents have been through more and sacrificed more than I have,” Luca said. “The local church community has supported me too, not to mention just all the people in this community.” “The team of people helping me at Wired Rehab, Hill Country Hyperbaric, Spero Rehab, and all my doctors have been a blessing,” he added.
Luca is also grateful for the support from his football coaches and teammates. “I just graduated and I'm no longer part of the program, but they make me feel like I am still part of the team. They’ve reached out and stayed in touch. That has been awesome!”
April Requard, a close family friend, organized a GoFund-Me account for Luca’s medical bills. The goal is to raise $300,000, and more than half that amount has been collected. Donations are still being accepted online at gofundme. com/f/support-lucapicucci.
According to Luca’s mom, Ali Picucci, the prognosis for his recovery is positive. She emphasized that the first 4-6 months are critical for spinal injuries, as she learned from her son’s doctors.
The Picucci Family expressed deep gratitude for the community’s support. “It's allowed us to focus on his recovery and healing, and not the mailbox full of bills we pull out every day,” she said. “The outpouring of support from the community has been so unexpected and overwhelming to us. We are blessed to have so many people who want to help Luca.”
