When fans attack..

Tucson basketball player was tackled by fans

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ESPN.com news services


TUCSON, Ariz. -- A Tucson High School basketball player has been left partially paralyzed after being tackled by fans celebrating his game-ending dunk Friday night.

The Arizona Republic reported on the story in Tuesday's editions.

Joe Kay, a senior and starting forward, capped Tucson's 62-54 victory over Tucson Salpointe Catholic with an exclamation slam. A group of fans overtook him after flooding the court, coaches who reviewed film of the game told the Republic. Kay suffered a fractured jaw and a torn carotid artery -- the carotid supplies blood to the brain -- and subsequently suffered a stroke, according to the newspaper's report.

Kay, a 4.0 student who has a full volleyball scholarship to Stanford, remained in intensive care Monday, listed in serious condition at the University Medical Center in Tucson. There were signs of improvement: Kay ate breakfast and said a few words, Tucson coach Gary Lewis told the Republic.

Lewis recalled in his interview with the newspaper the moments after which Kay got up and walked over to his coach with assistance.

"I got on one side and we walked him over," Lewis said. "Just before we got to the locker room, he couldn't walk at all, and we had to drag him in.

"We knew something was serious. Joe is a great communicator and he wasn't speaking at all. He wouldn't respond to us anymore."

Tucson students on Tuesday were told of Kay's injuries over the public address system, the Republic reported. Counselors were available on campus.

Kay turned 18 on Saturday. Tucson has a game Tuesday night, and Arizona's Class 5A playoffs begin in a week.

"When I left him [Monday], he gave me the thumbs up, as if to push everybody through this," Lewis told the Republic.

Dick McConnell, who coaches Tucson Sahuaro and coached Lewis in high school, consoled Lewis at his home Sunday. McConnell also watched film of Tucson's postgame.

"To think that could happen ... ," McConnell said. "When they said what happened, I had chills." McConnell had surgery in the previous week to remove plaque building on his carotid artery.


What would they have done to this kid had he lost the game?

Oh Richard, this has made me so sad to read. :( Those fans were so exuberant that they might have caused this to happen. I'm for keeping fans off the field, court, etc because of situations like this, as much as many sports fans might hate me for it.

Logan

How awfully, awfully sad! I hope he recovers, and that the fans all contribute hugely to the financial costs of his rehabilitation.

Wednesday, February 11, 2004


ESPN.com news services
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The parents of a Tucson High basketball player left partially paralyzed from injuries suffered in a postgame celebration say they do not plan to take legal action on their son's behalf.


Joe Kay, a 6-foot-5 senior, sat in a chair, spoke, and ate well Tuesday, the Arizona Republic reported. It's been five days since Kay suffered a fractured jaw and a torn carotid artery, and subsequently a stroke after being overcome Friday night by a crush of fans who piled on him celebrating the team's victory over Tucson power Salpointe Catholic.


"Doctors says his youth and strength should help in his recovery," hospital spokesperson George Humphrey told the Republic, "... but [he] faces extensive rehabilitation."


Kay, a 4.0 student who has a full volleyball scholarship to Stanford, does not have movement on his right side, cannot walk, and his speech is slurred. His parents tried to focus on the strides their son made overnight in a Tucson hospital, where he remained in serious but stable condition Tuesday.


"You have to ride it out," Fred Kay, Joe's father, told the Republic for Wednesday's editions. "We're quite frankly confused. It's very difficult to predict what is going to happen."


Both Fred Kay and his wife, Suzanne Rabe, are attorneys. They do not plan to pursue litigation over what they claim was a freak thing that left their son in intensive care on the weekend he should have been celebrating his 18th birthday.


Because he suffered a stroke, doctors have been cautious when discussing Kay's condition with his parents. Some stroke victims suffer permanent damage, some over time are able to return to normal function. Joe is not aware of the extent of his injuries, his mother said.


"I think in his mind he thinks it's like a broken leg, and he'll be back to the way he was," Fred Kay said. "You ask him to identify something, and he can, but it's slurred. Occasionally, he'll come out with a short sentence.


"The good thing is, he can swallow. He can eat. He's eating like a horse."


Doctors have removed a cervical collar from Kay's neck, and he has been able to sit up. Kay has been visited by several Tucson teams at University Medical Center in Tucson.


Kay's father recounted the scene that unfolded following his son's game-capping dunk Friday night. As students flooded the court, Joe Kay was tackled by one fan. Then, Fred Kay told the Republic, about 20 more fans piled on top of his son. According to the newspaper, Fred said doctors believe Joe's neck was torqued as if in a car wreck, causing the carotid artery to tear, and the tearing cut blood flow to the brain and caused the stroke.


Tucson played its final home game Tuesday night, which was Senior Night. Fred Kay told the Republic that the team was going to put Joe's jersey in a glass case and present it to the family.


"He's extremely bright, gets straight A's, has an athletic scholarship to Stanford, he is first chair in the saxophone," Fred said of his son. "He's terrific.


"It's just a shock."


Stanford's volleyball coach told the Republic that he's spoken to Fred Kay.


"We're hoping he's going to recover and still come to school at Stanford," Don Shaw told the newspaper. "It's a bonus if he can play. We'll do everything we can under NCAA rules. There are medical hardships we can file for to keep his scholarship."

How sad. :( I hope he recovers fully.