Fanelli released from hospital, Liambas’ OHL career ends

from Waterloo Region Record

Rangers’ Fanelli released from hospital, resting at home in Oakville

November 07, 2009

Waterloo Region Record staff and news services

Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ben Fanelli has been released from hospital and is resting at home in Oakville, the team told The Waterloo Region Record on Saturday.

“The family advised me at about 9 this morning,” Rangers’ chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski told The Record shortly after a media release was posted to the team website. “This is really good news, but we’re still cautious; it’s only been a week.”

Bienkowski said he does not know whether Fanelli’s medical status has been upgraded again. Fanelli had been upgraded from critical but stable to serious but stable earlier in the week.

Fanelli, who suffered a fractured skull in a game on Friday, Oct. 30, was released late Friday night.

“This is obviously an emotional day for the Fanelli family, our organization and community and really for the entire Ontario Hockey League’s players and fans,” Bienkowski said in the release. “ It is still very early in Ben’s recovery that will include out-patient treatments at the hospital along with additional supporting treatments at home.”

Ben’s mother, Susan Fanelli, said in the release that “the support from the Kitchener Rangers organization has been wonderful. We are so appreciative it is hard to express.”

Restrictions on visiting will remain in effect while the Rangers and the Fanelli family continue their policy that requests for privacy continue to be honoured. Any future information will continue to be released through the Rangers, the team reiterated.

Bienkowski told The Record that the team is hoping to arrange limited, selective team visits to the Fanelli home over the next few days.

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Meanwhile Michael Liambas, the Erie player who administered the hit has been suspended for the entire season, plus playoffs. This suspension ends Liambas’ OHL career, as this was the last year he was eligible to play.

Their is much debate in the hockey world about the suspension and whether it was a clean hit or not.

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