DEXTER, Mich. – A Hartland High School student is recovering with 40 stitches in his eye after his pole snapped during a pole vault event and jabbed him in the face.

Senior Alex Lindahl was warming up for the pole vault event at the Larry Steeb Memorial Track & Field Meet of Champions at Al Ritt Stadium in Dexter Tuesday when his pole snapped mid-jump and shards struck him in his left eye, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Lindahl was rushed to the University of Michigan Medical Center around 3:30 p.m. where he underwent a five-hour surgery to remove fiberglass pieces in his eye and received 40 stitches before he was released Wednesday, according to the Free Press and MLive.com.

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“Luckily, doctors were able to fix his eye, but it’s whether or not his vision will fully be back to normal is the question,” Hartland athletic director Jason Reck told the Livingston Daily. “We are fortunate that the Dexter coaches reacted so quick to rush him to the hospital and that University of Michigan acted as quickly as they did.”

Lindahl’s mother, Jamie Lindahl told the Free Press she was about three blocks away when Hartland coach Chuck Cullen called her about the accident.

“He told me Alex was injured and to come,” she said. “I was there within five minutes.”

Jamie Lindahl sent a message out on behalf of her son through Facebook Wednesday.

“Hello everyone this is Alex’s mom writing what Alex say: He is feeling ok, still in pain, thank you for all the prayer, kind thoughts, and being such great friends,” the message read.

Alex later tweeted a two-word message to his supporters: “Thanks everyone.”

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Jamie Lindahl said it was her only son who was calm during the ordeal, reassuring his mother that he’ll pull through.

“He just kept saying: ‘Mom, I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry, mom,’” she told the Free Press. “That’s him.”

Lindahl has suffered numerous previous injuries as a soccer and cross country athlete, as well, his mother said.

“He had two ruptured Achilles tendons, he broke his arm, had three broken fingers and a broken wrist,” Jamie Lindahl said. “Then last year he was slide tackled from behind and ruptured his Achilles and re-broke his arm when he landed. He was in a wheelchair for six months.”

The mother said she has little doubt her son will bounce back from the eye injury to fulfill his plans to attend the University of Kentucky on an academic scholarship to study criminal forensic anthropology.

Lindahl is expected to graduate this spring with a 3.87 GPA. He scored over 30 on his ACT, Jamie Lindahl told the Free Press.

“His goal is to work for the FBI and return unknown soldiers to their families,” she said. “That’s what he wants to do. He’s been set on that since second grade when he learned about it at a career day at Michigan State. That’s all he ever wanted to do.”

Reck told the Livingston Daily that poles used for vaulting – which are typically made of fiberglass or carbon fiber – can break but it’s not common.

“I think it also matters where the pole breaks, if it does,” he said. “It’s a sad and unfortunate accident, and we hope he has a fast recovery.”