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By BETTY ADAMS
Staff Writer 10/13/2007

Staff Writer

Badly injured in a parachuting accident six weeks ago in Massachusetts, 21-year-old Matthew Carroll of Augusta is back in Maine.

Carroll was transferred Friday to River Ridge Center in Kennebunk, a facility specializing in rehabilitation for people with head and brain injuries. He had spent the past six weeks at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

"He is improving," said his mother, Toni Christensen of Augusta, who has been at Carroll's bedside almost constantly. "He has been out a coma for a couple of weeks. He is responding to people and he is aware of his surroundings. He's given us high fives. His left side works and he's able to give a thumbs-up."

Carroll could be at the rehabilitation center up to eight months, his mother said. Christensen said the swelling in Carroll's face has gone down, but he will need plastic surgery.

"He looks normal," she said Thursday. "He looks like himself. He's still got a long road of rehab because his right side's not working and he's still not talking. The doctors feel the improvement he's made is a good sign."

The accident happened Sept. 2, in Pepperell, Mass. -- Carroll's 201st parachute jump and his sixth that day, said his friend and fellow skydiver, Brandon Kroot of Gardiner, who saw the crash.

"I was on the ground talking to a friend, and I looked over and saw him coming down," Kroot said. "It looked like he turned, lost elevation really quickly, and hit the ground really fast.

He flew into the ground probably 60-70 mph."

Carroll's breathing was labored when Kroot ran over to him.

The injuries, Christensen said, were horrific: severe head and brain injuries, a fracture in the back, a left femur broken in two places and a broken face from the nose up, including cheekbones and eye sockets.

She said he still has a feeding tube and has yet to speak since the accident.

Kroot will be there rooting for him during rehabilitation. He's been to visit Carroll frequently and talks to him by cell phone.

"He is an exceptional person, maybe one of the strongest people I have ever known. He's got a will to survive that will definitely help him," said Kroot, a roofing subcontractor who is Carroll's boss and best friend.

Friends of Carroll who would like to contribute to a fund to help pay for some of his care -- MaineCare has provided some insurance -- can send a check "for the benefit of Matthew Carroll" to Bangor Savings Bank, State Street, Augusta, with a notation that includes Christensen's name.

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