Ryan Clark’s “The Pivot” podcast prides itself on having “pivotal conversations.” Nevertheless, the podcast host was not ready for the emotional toll of his current interview with former Louisiana State College soccer participant Greg Brooks Jr. Following an almost hour-long dialog with Greg Brooks and his father, Greg Brooks Sr., Clark burst into tears moments after Brooks was wheeled out of the interview.
Brooks, simply 23 years outdated, ought to’ve been gearing up for the NFL Mix. As a substitute, he’s studying to stroll once more. The previous LSU captain’s promising soccer profession got here to a devastating halt final yr when he was recognized with a uncommon mind tumor and needed to bear an emergency surgical procedure that utterly altered his life. As beforehand reported by theGrio, Brooks Jr. claims that the surgeon who operated on him was not certified to carry out the surgical procedure, resulting in him experiencing a number of problems throughout surgical procedure and everlasting accidents post-surgery.
“Generally I miss it. I have a look at the display screen and suppose that’s alleged to be me, however I’m simply comfortable to be right here.”
“You might be extraordinary. You might be an inspiration, I imply you’re a superhero, and I anticipated you from a really younger age, after I met you, to perform nice issues,” Clark informed Brooks Jr. “I by no means anticipated that you just’d need to and have the ability to accomplish what you may have man. I really like you.”
For Clark, an LSU alum and Tremendous Bowl champion, this dialog was particularly gut-wrenching as he was there to witness Brooks Jr.’s journey for the reason that early days of his restoration.
“It’s simply onerous seeing him like that, man,” Clark continued. “My tears are like half satisfaction but additionally simply anger man, cuz you’re proper, that child didn’t…he doesn’t deserve that man, and actually, GB [Greg Brooks Sr.], the toughest half for me is that he has no anger about it. He’s so comfortable for the whole lot he has, he’s so comfortable for the way far he’s come.”
Whereas the previous LSU soccer captain is grateful for his restoration, his father, Brooks Sr., defined that Brooks Jr. nonetheless experiences a stage of harm.
“You don’t suppose that child suffered, man? You don’t suppose it harm him to see all his mates’ success? To not hear out of your head coach in over 17 months? Seventeen fu**ing months… that’s hurtful, man,” Brooks Sr. revealed.
In an ongoing lawsuit towards the college and the Our Woman of the Lake Regional Medical Heart in Baton Rouge, the Brooks household claims that the LSU workers and medical workers exercised negligence in Brooks Jr.’s case and that the varsity failed to tell the athlete’s household of his harm.
“I simply need younger athletes in the identical spot I used to be, if one thing is hurting, inform them. And in the event that they don’t do something about it, go get your second opinion. As a result of if I’d have recognized that, I wouldn’t be the way in which I’m proper now,” Brooks Jr. concluded.
