The Damar Hamlin situation has hit everyone, not just Buffalo Bills and NFL players. The scary incident has reached beyond sports and into the mainstream.
One former Buffalo Bill, Kevin Everett, told the Buffalo News it brought back the terrifying time his NFL career ended after a tackle on a kickoff against the Denver Broncos in 2007.
“It brought me all the way back to that point, my injury. It really hit home,” Everett said Tuesday. “We go through injuries all the time.
“You know when it’s serious and when it’s just something minor. So, in the distress on their faces, the sadness, guys collapsing and just breaking out in tears, it was really heartfelt.”
Everett was on the special teams that 2007 day against the Broncos. He collided with Denver Broncos kick returner Domenik Hixon.
Everett was stabilized on the field and taken to a local hospital where he had surgery to repair a severe dislocation of his third and fourth vertebra.
Everett said there is no one to blame for Hamlin’s injury, especially Bengals WR Tee Higgins, who was tacked on the play.
“‘It was a freak accident, man. It happened. Yeah, thank you for being supportive of me during this but I need you to just focus on doing your job so you can be the best professional ballplayer you can be for you and your family,'” Everett recalled telling Hixon. “I didn’t want him to blame himself.”
Everett, now 40, is able to walk but he can’t jog or run. He endures frequent pain, for which he takes medication, and will for the rest of his life.
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