A former National Hockey League defenseman has just made a very sad announcement.
In an emotional announcement 30-year-old Mike Weber revealed that the recent knee injury he suffered is so severe that it will force him to end his career prematurely.
"I had a goal coming here to play at a high level, I feel I have achieved that," said Weber. "It's tough knowing I have blocked my last shot, made my last hit and won my last battle"
Weber has revealed that he effectively needs a completely new knee, and that the procedures required to repair the damage could leave him unable to walk for the better part of a year. For a normal person that would be a devastating injury, for a professional athlete it's nothing short of a nightmare.
Weber also revealed that it was his family that made him decide he needed to walk away, specifically an inability to pick up his two-year old child in his arms because of the injury.
He's not done with hockey though, he plans to continue a career in the sport as a coach, although it's unclear what the next chapter for him will be considering how long of a recovery he has ahead of him.
We wish him a speedy recovery and all the best in his future endeavors .
