Chris Oats Seeking Help Ahead of Year-Long Florida Push
The road to recovery has been arduous for Chris Oats. Throughout this tumultuous time he’s seen plenty of ups and downs. Progress has followed. Now he’s looking to take one big final leap this fall.
The Kentucky linebacker’s promising career on the gridiron was cut short by a stroke in the summer of 2020. It was a life-changing medical emergency for Oats and his family. Despite the serious setback, he’s persevered.
Once bound to a wheelchair, he helped his sister walk down the aisle at her wedding last fall. He’s now able to stand up without assistance and is regaining some independence by taking strolls through his neighborhood. Last fall he received a standing ovation from the Kroger Field crowd on Senior Day.
How the BBN has helped Chris Oats
Even though he could no longer play for the Wildcats, Mark Stoops’ team has not forgotten their friend. The GoFundMe established by Keaton Upshaw raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to alleviate expensive rehabilitation costs and help the family purchase a wheelchair accessible van.
When Name, Image and Likeness rules allowed players to make money, they put it to good use. Last summer hundreds of kids attended the Chris Oats Football Camp, hosted by a dozen of his teammates. He stood up to introduce himself to the group, standing alongside his formmer running mate, DeAndre Square.
Many milestones have been surpassed so far. Over the next year Chris Oats wants to take a giant leap forward.
None of those previous milestones could have been possible without the BBN’s support and the work done at a rehab facility in Florida that focuses specifically on Chris’s needs. Not only do they have the expertise, they have the resources to accommodate a 6-foot-5 athlete. It worked wonders throughout his first stay. Now he is running it back for one complete year of rehabilitation work at the Florida facility.
“This will be a very important session for Chris. He is very determined and willing to get back,” wrote his mother, Kemberley Gamble.
The family appreciates the BBN’s efforts and knows the sacrifices are not easy. This journey has not been easy, that’s why his family hopes he can have one interrupted year of progress. You can contribute by visiting 22OatsStrong.org. All gifts are appreciated. No donation is too small.
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