Article from AP http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AhzwkuSz_AYm04KaaXuKcw85nYcB?slug=ap-bills-everetthurt&prov=ap&type=lgns

Quote :

"ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- The Buffalo Bills' Kevin Everett sustained a "catastrophic" and life-threatening spinal-cord injury and his chances of regaining a full range of body motion are very small, an orthopedic surgeon said Monday. "A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely," Dr. Andrew Cappuccino said, one day after performing a four-hour operation on the player. "I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis. ... A full neurological recovery was bleak, dismal." Cappuccino noted the 25-year-old reserve tight end did have touch sensation throughout his body and also showed signs of movement. But he cautioned that Everett's injury remained life-threatening, saying the player is still susceptible to blood clots, infection and breathing failure. Everett is currently under forced sedation and breathing through a respirator as doctors wait for the swelling to lessen. Cappuccino said it will take up to three days to determine the severity of the injury and the recovery process. During the operation, Cappuccino repaired a break between the third and fourth vertebrae and also alleviated the pressure on the spinal cord. Doctors made a bone graft and inserted a plate and four screws. Cappuccino said Everett was alert and is aware of the extent of his injuries. "I was honest with him, and he told me, 'Do everything you can to help me,"' said Cappuccino, who works for the Bills as a consultant, specializing in spinal surgery. Cappuccino received permission to operate from Everett's mother, Patricia Dugas, who spoke by phone from her home in Houston. Everett was hurt in Buffalo's season opener against Denver on Sunday when he ducked his head while driving in to tackle Broncos' Domenik Hixon during the second half-opening kickoff. Everett dropped face first to the ground after his helmet hit Hixon high on the left shoulder and side of the helmet. Replays showed the player twitching for a few seconds as he attempted to get up before falling back to the ground. Everett's eyes were open but he showed no further signs of movement during the next 15 minutes as the team's medical staff and emergency personnel placed him on a backboard and, with the player's head and body immobilized, loaded him into an ambulance at the Broncos 30. Bills team doctor John Marzo said Everett was alert from the time he was loaded onto the backboard and throughout the drive to the hospital. "It's a tough situation to watch because he's somebody's son, brother and friend," punter Brian Moorman said Monday. "It's all you could think about during the game, after it happened, after the game and this morning. And we just want him to get better, we want him to heal." Quarterback J.P. Losman said it was difficult to concentrate during practice. "It seems like every couple of seconds that go by it's always popping into your head," Losman said. "Going through a walk-through, we're looking for him, wanting to hear his voice." Buffalo Bills players hold hands in prayer for Bills' Kevin Everett after he suffered an injury during the second half of the NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007. Everett had surgery Sunday after injuring his spine on a kickoff and there is concern about whether he will be able to walk again. AP - Sep 10, 11:13 am EDT More Photos The Bills have Tuesday off before returning to practice to prepare to play at Pittsburgh on Sunday. Coach Dick Jauron said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called him Sunday evening, offering the league's support. "We honor ourselves by our work, and we honor Kevin by moving forward and working while never forgetting Kevin and never getting him out of our thoughts and prayers," Jauron said. "We're going to wait and see what the outcome is here and we're really hoping and praying for the best." Buffalo's 2005 third-round draft pick out of Miami, Everett missed his rookie season because of a knee injury. He spent most of last year playing special teams. He was hoping to make an impact as a receiver. His injury recalled the one to Mike Utley, the former Detroit Lions guard who was paralyzed below the chest. He injured his neck in a collision during a 1991 game. "I'm sorry this young man got hurt," Utley told the AP. "It wasn't a cheap shot. It was a great form tackle and that's it." The 41-year-old Utley now lives in Washington state and is promoting a bike tour aimed at raising money in an effort to cure paralysis. "These are big strong men competing at the highest level. You can do everything to prepare yourself -- lift weights and all that," Utley said. "But is it going to happen again? Yes." Everett's injury was not the only one sustained by the Bills. Cornerback Jason Webster (broken forearm) and free safety Ko Simpson (broken ankle) had surgery, and Jauron said both could miss the rest of the season. Also, linebacker Coy Wire has a sprained knee and is out indefinitely. "

A terrible reminder of what can go wrong in a simple game that entertains millions of Americans every year. This is really just a tragedy. The kid is only 25.

9/10/2007 6:22:07 PM

heres hoping for best case scenario

9/10/2007 6:25:43 PM

9/10/2007 6:27:39 PM

9/10/2007 6:29:19 PM

okay no where in that article does it say he is "likely to be paralyzed for life"

hope that's not the case

terrible situation, though


[Edited on September 10, 2007 at 6:34 PM. Reason : ,]

9/10/2007 6:29:22 PM

This is sad and I hope he can make a full recovery

9/10/2007 6:30:31 PM

^^ his doctor said the chances are slim he'll regain use of his legs, so flip it around

9/10/2007 6:32:13 PM

that is terrible for the guy.

9/10/2007 6:33:52 PM

^^ thank you stingray.

i can read, i have already graduated from State. well nm thats an oxymoron.

9/10/2007 6:37:07 PM

cappucino

9/10/2007 6:40:38 PM

Actually, it does say that.

Quote :

"I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis."

9/10/2007 6:43:04 PM

they said the same thing about Dennis Byrd after his injury. Hopefully Everett will be as fortunate.

9/10/2007 6:44:54 PM

I saw it on live tv. He dropped his head-it was just freakish. Hixon was so shook up after they hit.

Marshawn Lynch took a bigger hit earlier in the game and didn't even have a scratch-his helmet was knocked off 10 yards behind him.

9/10/2007 6:49:45 PM

Today, we are all Buffalo Bills

9/10/2007 7:57:22 PM

seriously prep-e

seriously

9/10/2007 8:08:21 PM

9/10/2007 8:22:12 PM

^^^Not me.

9/10/2007 11:04:13 PM

wow they just said he may walk out of the hospital

9/11/2007 6:05:30 PM

^wow i sure hope so

terrible tragedy...football is a rough sport but you hope to "only" get away with a torn ligament in the worst cases

9/11/2007 6:07:06 PM

^^that would be amazing. I think Byrd managed to limp out on crutches after about 10 weeks, so hopefully Everett will heal as quickly.

I'd love to see a report on exactly how they treated him in the first few hours. Apparently the NFL has a bunch of procedures worked up for minimizing damages in the event of an accident like this.

9/11/2007 6:16:26 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9D2BXRgi7g&NR=1

9/11/2007 7:35:43 PM

go Bills! JP Losman ftw you bitches.. glad to hear he is doing much better

9/11/2007 7:46:39 PM

I'm so glad to hear today he could move his hands and feet, and now that he may walk, that is just tremendous news. I'm not a Bills(however many up) fan but a football fan in general, so I'm pulling for the guy.

9/11/2007 7:46:42 PM

^ yeah in all seriousness that was awesome news that he will probably be alright

9/11/2007 8:01:56 PM

WOW! he seriously might walk? that would be awesome I need to read the article I guess...

9/11/2007 8:04:14 PM

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-bills-everetthurt&prov=ap&type=lgns

9/11/2007 8:13:28 PM

he was given 5 to 10% chance of walking again, but im glad to see the wolf web actually showing concern for a buffalo player so thank you yall for your concern, i hope he recovers too

9/12/2007 12:05:13 AM

Quote :

"he was given 5 to 10% chance of walking again"

Pretty sure that was before the news reported today of him being able to voluntarily move his arms and legs.

The chances are much better now, though nothing is guaranteed.

9/12/2007 12:29:47 AM

meh

9/12/2007 12:31:31 AM

at least it was a legitimate hit..could you imagine the shit storm if had been a late hit or something?

9/12/2007 12:37:41 AM

^yeah, but the guy that is hurt is the one that made the hit

9/12/2007 12:48:26 AM

"serves him right for trying to make a late hit"
"fucker deserved it"
"this is why this type of behaviour should be strongly penalized"

9/12/2007 1:09:47 AM

Any reports while he was sedated after the surgery were premature. Noone knew if he would have feeling and movement or not until he woke up.

9/12/2007 1:10:56 AM

Quote :

""serves him right for trying to make a late hit" "fucker deserved it" "this is why this type of behaviour should be strongly penalized""

yeah, i guess i can see that. I just wasn't thinking there would be much of an uproar like that since he got seriously hurt and most people aren't complete assholes. The public outcry would be a lot worse if it was someone that got tackled with a late hit that got injured like this. People would be calling for his head on a platter.

9/12/2007 8:42:58 AM

will he be back for the playoffs?

9/12/2007 8:46:29 AM

Since the Bills won't be making the playoffs anytime this decade, it's certainly possible

9/12/2007 9:26:11 AM

Quote :

" I'd love to see a report on exactly how they treated him in the first few hours. Apparently the NFL has a bunch of procedures worked up for minimizing damages in the event of an accident like this."

saw a thing on the preventative body hypothermia treatment or whatever

pretty sweet idea, apprently this was the first case of near immediate treatment with the process and it's looking like it really helped.

(bringing the body temperature down a few degrees as quickly as possible, much like using a cold pack on a specific muscle.. with cold saline iv's and other measures)

pretty interesting really, they apprently kept up the treatment (with immobilization) from a few minutes after the hit up until completion of the surgery

9/12/2007 10:36:01 AM

yeah, they basically flushed over his spine with a very cold saline solution...

inducing hypothermia is something that's been researched for strokes for years... reduces the brain's need for oxygen and reduces the swelling...

apparently, in spinal cord injuries the swelling post-injury is what winds up causing most of the complications, so the team neurologist chilled his spine to reduce the swelling which reduced all the collateral damage...

Go Science!

9/12/2007 10:40:53 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3014742

9/12/2007 11:13:21 AM

Quote :

"Dr. Andrew Cappuccino"

9/12/2007 11:16:48 AM