Gregg Doyel: Title Run Giving Paralyzed Kentucky Fan Hope
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via WKYT-TV[/caption]
If you remember all the way back to Kentucky's preseason exhibition with Transylvania, you may recall the tragic story of Dick Gregory, the life-long Kentucky fan who was paralyzed while attending the game. Gregory, who was taking his wife of 50 years, Mary Alice, to her first Kentucky game, unfortunately fell victim to paralysis while attempting to catch her when she slipped and fell in the Rupp Arena crowd. She walked away physically unscathed in large part to Dick Gregory's efforts, but as one could imagine, life changed forever that day.
Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports recently caught up with the couple and gave an update on Dick's status and how Kentucky Basketball, John Calipari, and the current crop of Wildcats have inspired him to persevere through the extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Below is an brief clip of his recent interactions with Coach Cal.
via WKYT-TV[/caption]
If you remember all the way back to Kentucky's preseason exhibition with Transylvania, you may recall the tragic story of Dick Gregory, the life-long Kentucky fan who was paralyzed while attending the game. Gregory, who was taking his wife of 50 years, Mary Alice, to her first Kentucky game, unfortunately fell victim to paralysis while attempting to catch her when she slipped and fell in the Rupp Arena crowd. She walked away physically unscathed in large part to Dick Gregory's efforts, but as one could imagine, life changed forever that day.
Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports recently caught up with the couple and gave an update on Dick's status and how Kentucky Basketball, John Calipari, and the current crop of Wildcats have inspired him to persevere through the extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Below is an brief clip of his recent interactions with Coach Cal.
John Calipari was at a doughnut shop in Lexington when he ran into one of Gregory's relatives. Calipari asked how Dickie was doing. Not good, he was told. He asked for the number to the rehab facility, where the phone rang that day. A nurse answered and said, "Oh my gosh, it's John Calipari," and put the phone to Gregory's ear. "She kept asking me, 'Is it live, is it live?'" Dick Gregory was saying on Sunday. "Sure, it's live. I'm talking to him right now." Dickie gave Calipari some advice, telling him he wasn't being tough enough on the Wildcats. This was late in the regular season, when the Wildcats were losing three times in five games, and Dick Gregory says he told Calipari he needed to get on his players some more. "He kind of laughed," Gregory said, "and told me, 'I think I've done too much of that. I need to go the other way. I think I got them settled down a little bit. I think we're about to do something.'"If you wish to read the entire article on Gregory and his struggles (and I highly recommend you do), it can be found by following this link.
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