Doctors say that Jesse Martin, who broke his neck on Oct. 30 during a hockey game against North Dakota, will make a full recovery in the next year.

Reportedly, this news was conveyed to Martin’s parents by doctors at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. The surgery was to stabilize a broken C2 vertebra in his neck through reconstruction.

Prior to undergoing surgery yesterday, sophomore Zeke Perez, who appears around campus in the Denver Boone costume, traveled to Minnesota to visit Martin on behalf of the student body. Perez made a day-trip Saturday, taking with him a banner signed by several hundred students, alumni and community wishing Martin a well recovery.

The banner was signed on Friday during the Pioneer’s 4-1 home victory against Colorado College. Perez flew back to Denver Saturday afternoon, in time to attend Denver’s 9-2 loss in Colorado Springs, to the Tigers.

“It was pretty great,” Perez said. “I was completely honored I was selected to show him how all of Denver and the DU community feels about him, and that we wish him the best.”

Perez’s trip was funded by alumni.

But this wasn’t the first time Perez met Martin. Last year, Perez met Martin during the camp out for hockey season tickets, while he was handing out donuts.

“So on the way to the hospital I bought him a bag of donuts to return the favor,” Perez said. “But I told him not to get used to it, that I wanted him to give me donuts again soon.”

Martin, a senior, recorded 64 points on 32 goals and 32 assists.

“At the end of the visit, Jesse was getting a little groggy and they were about to take him for x-rays, so I was starting to leave, but this is something I will remember for the rest of my life,” Perez said. “Even in the state he’s in, he couldn’t use most of his left side, he reached out to shake my hand and he gave me one of the firmest handshakes I’ve had in my life. He thanked everyone at DU and told me how much it meant to him and his family.”