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β€˜It's Our Turn to Be the Cheerleaders': Community Rallies Around Mount Carmel HS Student Paralyzed in Car Crash

A special event is planned Saturday in Carmel Mountain for the Sabre Springs teenager who was paralyzed in a single-vehicle crash on Oct. 6.

The community is rallying to renovate the home of a Mount Carmel High School cheerleader seriously injured in a traffic collision on the way home from a football game.

A special event is planned Saturday in Carmel Mountain for the Sabre Springs teenager who was paralyzed in the Oct. 6 crash. 

Isaac Coulapides, 16, is expected to be released from the hospital in two weeks.

The high school junior was driving home from a school football game when his vehicle crashed into an embankment on Sabre Springs Parkway. 

Coulapides underwent surgery and was diagnosed with two crushed vertebrae and a fractured sternum. 

Now, faced with the teenager's release from the hospital in just two weeks, his family is working to retrofit their home for wheelchair accessibility. 

"It's our turn to be the cheerleaders," said organizers for the "Second Chance for Isaac" event scheduled for Saturday.

The Second Change Beer Company in Carmel Mountain is hosting a fundraiser from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in which proceeds from draft beer sales will be donated to the family along with a portion of proceeds of sales from Baby's Burgers. 

The money will help the Coulapides family with the cost of his ongoing care. 

According to one of the volunteers helping the family, there is still work to be done to ready the home for a special bed and wheelchair. 

The painting has begun and flooring will go in on Monday, according to a social media post.

"We are still actively taking donations to make their space extra special," Susan Wintersteen writes.

Wintersteen said the extra donations have allowed the family to increase the size of the renovation.

"Every donation made to Isaac's room will go to his space. Help us build his space if you can," she adds. There is an online fundraising page specifically geared to help pay for the family's home renovation.

Coulapides and his family are part of Canyon Springs Church in Scripps Ranch and have received an outpouring of support from strangers in the community.

You can learn more about the family on the online fundraising page created to help with medical expenses.

Law enforcement officials say the crash was caused by excessive speed. Drugs and alcohol weren't involved.

Coulapides' mother told NBC 7, the night of the accident her son was wearing his seatbelt and was not driving and texting because he had left his phone at home.

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