Everett plans emotional return at Sunday's Bills game
Appearance may depend on the weather
By Mark Gaughan NEWS SPORTS REPORTER
Updated: 12/20/07 8:49 AM
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/buffaloerie/story/233081.html
The atmosphere should be electric at Sunday’s Buffalo Bills game, even though the Bills are out of the playoff race.
Bills tight end Kevin Everett is planning to come to Buffalo to attend the game in Ralph Wilson Stadium, weather permitting, a source close to the Bills told The Buffalo News.
Everett, 25, has made a remarkable recovery from the catastrophic spinal injury he suffered in the Bills’ season-opening game Sept. 9 and is walking unaided. With effort, he can raise his arms above his head, and he is regaining the motor skills in his hands.
The Bills’ front office had no comment on whether Everett would attend the game against the New York Giants. It’s the last home game of the season, and it is sold out.
It was not clear Wednesday just how much weather could affect Everett’s decision to attend. However, the early forecast was not calling for significant snow this weekend. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 30s, with a chance of precipitation.
Bills players said they would be overwhelmed to see their teammate.
“It’s giving me chills just being asked about it,” punter Brian Moorman said. “I can’t imagine what it would be like on game day. I imagine there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house. It would be great to see him, if it works out. If he’s not ready, then obviously we don’t want him to push himself. But obviously everybody in this locker room would love to see him. He’s an inspiration to us all.”
“I think it’s something our team could use right now, after the disappointment we realized Sunday,” safety Coy Wire said, referring to the 8-0 loss in Cleveland that knocked the Bills out of playoff contention. “To be able to have one of our teammates who had something so traumatic happen to him, . . . none of us can fathom what he has gone through. That hurt us emotionally as a team.
“Whether you try to not think about it or not, it still affects us as a team. To have a guy we’ve missed greatly be able to come back and be here would be very emotionally gratifying.”
Everett’s improvement has continued throughout his treatment in Houston’s Memorial Herman Hospital rehabilitation center. Everett goes for rehabilitation treatments five days a week. He has been in his hometown since leaving Buffalo’s Millard Fillmore Hospital on Sept. 16. He was released from Memorial Herman Hospital five weeks ago.
“To have him back in the facility and to see him walk and then hopefully — if he does come back — address his teammates, would be great,” Bills coach Dick Jauron said. “It would be just an unbelievable thing. We’ve gone through this whole thing with him. He’s never not been part of our team. We’ve certainly stayed in touch with him and it’s just a tremendous story. It’s really a tremendous story.”
