Oregon State wrestling is dealing with hardship as one of its veteran wrestlers was hospitalized for several days after he was wedged under a pickup truck.

Sixth-year senior Travis Wittlake Jr. was working underneath a Dodge pickup Sunday at his family’s home in Coos Bay when the truck came off the jack. Wittlake suffered a compound leg fracture and five fractured vertebrae because of the accident.

Wittlake was transported by air to Salem Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Wittlake, a four-time Oregon high school state champion while attending Marshfield from 2015-18, was released from the hospital earlier this week. He’s currently recovering in Coos Bay.

A GoFundMe page has been established to help pay for Wittlake’s medical expenses and rehabilitation.

Wittlake wrestled in Oregon State’s match against No. 1 Penn State last Friday. OSU coach Chris Pendleton said following a workout Saturday, he gave the team the rest of the weekend off. Wittlake went home to Coos Bay for a couple days before the start of Oregon State’s winter quarter.

Pendleton and assistant coach Josh Rhoden went to Salem to visit Wittlake shortly after he had surgery.

“He was sitting up and in good spirits,” Pendleton said. “One thing he said that was absolutely heartbreaking was he felt like he was letting his coaches and teammates down. I assured that was 100% not the case. We’re going to miss the big guy.”

Wittlake, who was 11-3 wrestling at 174 pounds this season, transferred to Oregon State last summer following a five-year campaign at Oklahoma State. Wittlake was a three-time NCAA tournament participant and a former Big 12 champion.

Pendleton said Wittlake wanted to wrestle his final year near home so friends and family could watch. Sunday’s accident ended Wittlake’s college career.

“It’s been such a blessing to have him in the program for the short amount of time,” Pendleton said. “His impact has been huge. Personally, getting to watch him reinvest in himself and have a smile on his face every day and the love for the sport, it was really inspiring to see it.”

Pendleton said wrestling may have saved Wittlake physically.

“The doctor told him that if he wasn’t a wrestler and didn’t have all those extra back muscles, who knows what would have been the diagnosis,” Pendleton said.

Since returning to Coos Bay, Pendleton said Wittlake has regularly been texting teammates and coaches.

“He’s telling the coaches he’s going to be back here to help support us soon,” Pendleton said. “We’re assuring him that we appreciate it, but we really would like him to stay home and kick his feet up. Even though that’s the last thing he’s built to do.”