LOOK: Chris Oats walks sister down the aisle at her wedding
It’s been a long, difficult journey for Kentucky linebacker Chris Oats on his road to recovery after suffering a stroke in May of 2020.
That journey, though, has been filled with important milestones and rewards through countless hours of therapy and tireless work. It started with regaining strength and range of motion with his limbs, then learning to stand again before taking actual steps. Inch by inch, continued progress has been made.
The latest milestone? Walking his big sister down the aisle at her wedding this weekend.
Oats’ mother, Kemberly Gamble, shared the footage on social media, with the Kentucky linebacker assisted by his therapist who flew in from Florida to help make the special moment possible.
“What I spent (the) last 3 years working so hard for,” Oats responded.
Oats, his mother and sister came together for a family picture after the wedding:
While Oats hasn’t played football since the 2019 season, his presence around the Kentucky program remains strong. He was front and center for team photo day, getting out of his wheelchair and sitting down with the linebackers for the group picture.
Oats then appeared in the official team photo next to his good friends DeAndre Square and Chris Rodriguez:
Rodriguez also helped Oats around the field after team photos were over:
“That means the world,” defensive coordinator Brad White said of having Oats at Media Day. “That’s what this program’s built on. It’s built on relationships and it’s built on continuing to build those relationships.
“To watch Chris’ progress, to see the steps that he made down in Florida and where he is now, it’s so encouraging for all of us. And he’s an inspiration. We’ve highlighted that in our defensive meetings, plays that pop up when you’re doing overlap film or teach tapes and, and you see him out there playing.”
Prior to his medical emergency, Oats recorded 73 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in two seasons for the Wildcats. Through his recovery, the program has kept the standout linebacker around as often as possible, bringing him to home games and helping him make the trip to the Citrus Bowl this past season. Kentucky has also gone out of its way to use the school’s platform and fanbase to help raise money for the Oats family as medical expenses continue to stack up. Originally set up by teammate Keaton Upshaw, the GoFundMe has raised over $193,500 as of Monday afternoon.
This summer, Oats spent three months at a state-of-the-art rehab facility in Florida, where he worked three hours a day, five days a week to regain his independence. By the end of his stay, he was able to stand and walk with assistance. Back in July, he held his first youth football camp in Northern Kentucky, with proceeds going toward the Chris Oats Foundation, which supports Oats and families of young stroke victims. With several of his teammates by his side, Oats stood and introduced himself to the campers, an emotional moment for those in attendance.
The Kentucky football staff has encouraged the veterans to teach the newcomers about Oats and how much he means to the program. During the 2020 season, players rotated wearing Oats’ No. 22 jersey and the defense still breaks huddles with the number as well.
“You’re like, guys, understand,” White said. “Don’t ever get numb to when we break down on ’22.’ This is what it’s about, so just continue to let the young guys that didn’t necessarily know Chris, you know when he was here, get to know him and know the personality he has, know his family. So, it’s always awesome to have him around as much as he is.”
Step by step, Oats is making progress.
#OatsStrong
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