Community holds benefit for paralyzed student

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A freshman at Northrop High School continues to recover from a skiing accident last Christmas Eve.

Friends and family of Noah Barbknecht are holding a benefit Saturday evening in his honor, helping the family prepare for Noah's return home.

Noah is still in a Georgia hospital, receiving physical therapy. The accident left the teenager paralyzed from the chest down, our sister station WANE reports.

The Bruin Benefit for Noah starts at 7 p.m. at Ceruti's in Fort Wayne. The event is sold out, but people can still bid online until 10 p.m. The night was organized by the Northrop football team and coaches and the school community. It will consist of door and raffle prizes. Some of the items being auctioned are a one week stay at a condo in Destin, Fla., a Valentine's Day package with hotel stays, fishing and hunting gear, and art work.

Noah's father, Jason Barbknecht, said Noah is set to come back to Fort Wayne on April 1st and hopefully start school a week later. He said Noah is doing well and in high spirits.

"Noah just went on his first outing Thursday," Barbknecht said. "He actually went to Dick's Sporting Goods that's part of the program they have down there to help teach the kids how to get back into society."

The benefit will help the family with Noah's medical costs and transforming their house to make it wheelchair accessible.