Mankato Man Recovering After Severe Brain Injury

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) - A former Minnesota State University linebacker who was gravely injured in a confrontation in a downtown nightlife district last spring says he's getting better day by day.

Mankato police say Isaac Kolstad was punched and kicked in the head during a fight involving two St. Peter men. Witnesses say Kolstad also hit his head against the pavement.

Kolstad suffered from a brain injury that left him in a coma. Doctors once feared he wouldn't live.

Kolstad spent months recovering at Mayo Clinic and a specialized rehab facility in the Twin Cities. Now he's back at his Mankato home and attending outpatient therapy three days a week.

With the support of his family, he's steadily regaining his strength. Kolstad is able to walk, run and form complete sentences again.