NFL News and Notes: Praying for Kevin Everett

by Sean Yuille on Sep 11, 2007 10:34 PM EDT in Notes Comment 0 comments

Bills tight end Kevin Everett was seriously injured on Sunday when making a tackle on a kickoff. He sustained a cervical spinal injury, and as a result, has had his life change forever. Everett isn't worrying about if he can ever play in the NFL again but instead is worrying if he will ever even be able to walk again. At first things didn't look good, but good news came in today.

Kevin Everett might walk again after all.

The doctor who performed the spinal surgery on Everett told Buffalo TV station WIVB on Tuesday that Everett has voluntary movement of his arms and legs and as a result he is optimistic that Everett will walk again.
Dr. Andrew Cappuccino told WIVB that Everett's sedation levels were lowered on Tuesday, allowing him to respond to verbal commands. WIVB also reported that Everett's latest MRI shows only a small amount of swelling on his spinal cord.
Dr. Barth Green, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Miami school of medicine, agrees with the prognosis.
"Based on our experience, the fact that he's moving so well, so early after such a catastrophic injury means he will walk again," Green told The Associated Press by telephone from Miami.
"It's totally spectacular, totally unexpected," Green said.

Former Lion Mike Utley suffered a neck injury back in 1991 that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He gave a now-famous thumbs up sign that has become the symbol of his foundation that is trying to help find a cure for paralysis.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Everett and his family and friends.
(For more on this story, visit Buffalo Rumblings)
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