Injured teen's sports memorabilia missing

OSHAWA -- Signed pictures of some Toronto sports stars that were supposed to bring holiday cheer to a local boy at Sick Kids Hospital went missing just hours after they were presented to him.

Fifteen-year-old Michael Box has been at the Hospital for Sick Children since early December after sustaining a devastating spinal cord injury while he competed in a high school wrestling match. The teen is still fighting every day and has survived two heart failures in the past week and multiple seizures, the most recent of which lasted 15 minutes.

So it was a treat when a couple of players from the Toronto Maple Leafs came by the hospital and visited with Michael, leaving behind some autographed pictures. Mr. Box said he attached the photos to the wall so Michael could see them after the visit. The next morning, the photos were gone.

A hospital spokeswoman said they don't know what happened to the photos but they were replaced as soon as staff knew about the situation.

Mr. Box said the family was upset and that it was "unfortunate that the pictures went missing."

The Box family is currently looking toward future plans with Michael and is trying to raise money for a suitable wheelchair for the young man. Mr. Box said the model Michael needs is going to cost upwards of $16,000. So far the family has received $2,500 in donations in Michael's trust fund and about $2,344 from the Polar Bear dip in Lake Ontario that took place in Ajax on New Year's Day.

There is a trust fund set up in Michael's name at the Bank of Montreal with the account number 39412-001-8116279.