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Doc Rivers Checks in on Injured Sixers Dunk Squad Member
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Shout out Doc Rivers for visiting Gary Lyons at the hospital:
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Gary is a member of the Sixers Dunk Squad. He suffered a freak spinal cord injury while playing pick-up basketball earlier this month. He spent 10 days at Cooper and had surgery there, then was transferred to Magee Rehab in Center City and is already standing, walking, and re-learning his motor skills and balance. Doctors say he was close to being paralyzed from the neck down, forever, but is now well on the road to recovery.
Lyons has two family members who are Camden firefighters. He’s also pursuing that same career, and may be able to do the job, depending on how rehab goes. He was supposed to graduate from that program this summer.
This is what Gary wrote when the injury happened:
“Last week I suffered a crushed C5 spine playing basketball, a freak accident landing on the back of my neck. Due to the injury, I have to relearn how to walk and relearn motor skills in my hands. This experience has been ALOT to say the least, with many challenges and obstacles ahead. If you know me, failure is not an option. Staying positive and being optimistic will be the keys for my success. The support from my family and friends have been on another level, the amount of love and prayers you all have sent have been a blessing. I’m extremely grateful and I thank you for being on this journey with me. No matter what it takes, I will push boundaries and work my absolute hardest. It’s a marathon, not a race.”
Good stuff. Good on Doc and good luck to Gary. Hopefully he gets back to 100%.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com