Former Kentucky player Chris Oats stands on his own for first time since 2020 stroke

For the first time since 2020, former Kentucky linebacker Chris Oats has stood up on his own, his mother Kemberly Gamble revealed.

A video she posted to social media on July 6 depicts Oats attempting to stand up while working with a group at his rehabilitation center. With two people on either side of him holding his knees in place, Oats was able to achieve the milestone and push himself to stand up by himself.

Watch the incredible moment below:

This is what your donation is doing for him standing up on this own for the first time look at that smile .Your donation is not wasted thank u pic.twitter.com/yoHsFZk1j5

— Kcoats22 (@kcoats22) July 6, 2024

While Oats has been bound to a wheelchair since his football career was cut short, that hasn’t stopped him from living his life. He’s been able to walk his sister down the aisle at her wedding, take assisted walks in his neighborhood, and attend Kentucky football games. He receives a standing ovation and a hero’s welcome back to Kroger Field each time he returns to Lexington.

Oats has been fortunate to receive some of the best treatment available for his condition thanks to the almost quarter of a million dollars that has been raised for his GoFundMe called 22OatsStrong.

Moreover, after NIL was implemented in college athletics, a dozen of his former teammates held the Chris Oats Football Camp in Lexington which saw hundreds of young athletes attend the camp. All of the proceeds went to Oats’ recovery.

Oats’ mother posts regular updates on social media regarding his recovery, letting Big Blue Nation know that their hard-earned dollars are helping their family tremendously.

As for his playing career, Oats came to Kentucky as a promising four-star recruit out of Winton Woods High School (OH) from the class of 2018. Nicknamed “Duece Duece,” the Cincinnati, OH native played two seasons with the Wildcats in 2018 and 2019, appearing in 25 games while recording 73 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

While his playing career ended before the 2020 season, his teammates at the time carried his legacy with them on the field. Each week during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, one rotating Kentucky player wore his No. 22 jersey without a name on the back in honor of their missing comrade.

The offensive line, or Big Blue Wall as they were known at the time, did the same thing with former OL coach John Schlarman, who died of cancer in November of 2020. Schlarman was a former offensive lineman at UK and wore the number 65 jersey.