Auburn gymnast from NC endures 2 1/2-hr surgery after horrible gymnastics injury
A star Auburn University gymnast from Huntersville, North Carolina, underwent a successful 2 1/2-hour surgery after a debilitating injury during the NCAA Regional in Baton Rouge, La., her coach tweeted on Tuesday.
Senior Samantha Cerio “suffered two dislocated knees Friday in Baton Rouge with multiple torn ligaments in both knees,” her coach, Jeff Graba, tweeted on Monday.
In a followup tweet Tuesday, Graba reported that Cerio’s surgery “lasted two and a half hours and was an extreme success. We know the road for full healing is going to be a long and difficult one, but we are confident that she’ll be able to make a complete recovery.”
Cerio attended South Iredell High School in Troutman, NC, and was coached by Kristie Phillips and Geoff Stafford at KPAC in the Iredell County town, according to her bio on AuburnTigers.com. She is pursuing an aerospace engineering degree at Auburn.
She was recently named Southeastern Conference co-scholar athlete of the year, according to AuburnTigers.com.
Cerio was hurt “on the first pass of her floor routine,” AuburnTigers.com reported. “The crowd fell silent ... The whole meet essentially came to a halt as Cerio was eventually carted off the floor.”
“I love my team,” Cerio posted the night she was hurt, in reply to Auburn Gymnastics tweeting her collegiate accomplishments with the hashtag StickItForSam.
Cerio posted on Instagram Sunday that last Friday night “was my final night as a gymnast. After 18 years I am hanging up my grips and leaving the chalk behind.”
She said on Instagram that she “couldn’t be prouder of the person that gymnastics has made me to become. It’s taught me hard work, humility, integrity, and dedication, just to name a few.
“It’s given me challenges and road blocks that I would have never imagined that has tested who I am as a person,” the post continued. “It may not have ended the way I had planned, but nothing ever goes as planned.”
Also Sunday, Cerio thanked everyone for their “encouraging messages. I truly appreciate all of the support and prayers that I have have received! I am doing well right now and getting lots of rest! From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much!”
F. King Alexander, president of Louisiana State University, tweeted about visiting Cerio in the hospital last weekend.
“What a wonderful, inspiring young lady,” Alexander tweeted. “I have no doubt she will overcome this injury and go on to do amazing things.”
This story was originally published April 9, 2019 at 3:51 PM.