01/23/2026
On Dec. 28, 2025, Matthew Polaski, a freshman at the University of Alabama, was on a family vacation in the Dominican Republic when he fell from a third floor and sustained a traumatic brain injury. He was placed in a medically induced coma to allow brain swelling to subside. Matthew was flown to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where physicians determined he had suffered multiple skull fractures, a fractured pelvis and fractures to his lower back vertebrae.
This month, Matthew was discharged fully conscious and with no brain swelling. His family expressed deep gratitude to the care team, thanking them for saving his life.
Did you know? As a Level 1 Trauma Center we receive patients from the Caribbean, Keys, and other parts of Florida who have great outcomes. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/4jUeAXn