[jwplayer 8XUloC7n]
Editor’s note: This article was originally published by USA TODAY Sports and has been republished in its entirety below.
On Wednesday morning, the Tallahassee Democrat published a full-page ad from the University of Florida’s Athletics Association thanking the Florida State community and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare for their care and action after Gators star Keyontae Johnson collapsed during a game against FSU on Dec. 12.
“To Amanda Robinson, Vanessa Fuchs, Ryan Zornes, Erick Casto, Chuck Walsh, Dr. Marylin Cox, Dr. Devin Buston, Dr. Jason Oberste, Dr. Hector Mejia, Dr. William Thompson, Dr. Carlos Campo, Dr. Greg Hartiage, Mark O’ Bryant and the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare team, President Thrasher, Coach Leonard Hamilton and everyone else who stepped up in a moment of crisis and helped care for Keyontae Johnson, Thank You,” the ad said.
[lawrence-related id=30627,30610]
“We have an overwhelming sense of gratitude for everyone from Florida State and the Tallahassee community for their quick and careful action. Our schools compete in so many ways, but the rivalry between our institutions is not a rivalry between our people. The ability to set all else aside for the welfare of one student in need of assistance was on full display on December 12th. We are grateful.”
Just minutes into FSU’s game against Florida on Dec. 12, Johnson collapsed on the court and was then taken to Tallahassee HealthCare for further evaluation. Johnson was later transferred to UF Health in Gainesville, where he had been until Tuesday when his parents Nika and Marrecus Johnson, announced that he would be released from the hospital and spending Christmas with his family,
The Gainesville Sun reported on Tuesday that Johnson had been diagnosed with a heart inflammation that could be related to an earlier infection to COVID-19. The SEC preseason player of the year is likely to miss the rest of the 2020-21 season.
[lawrence-related id=31363,30075,28446,27426,26450]
[listicle id=30913]